THERE’S A ‘PERSON’ IN THE FOREST!
by, J.E. Rogers
There
is a ‘person’ in the forest, and he’s critically endangered because of human
greed. In the Malay and Indonesian language, the word orangutan translates into
English as ‘person of the forest.’ This ‘person’ is the focus of this week’s
blog. The orangutan is one of man’s closest relatives, so let’s get to know him
a bit better.
There are two
species of orangutan, the Bornean Orangutan (Pongo
pygmaeus), and the Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii). Both species are critically
endangered. They are the largest tree-dwelling and slowest breeding mammal.
Females will give birth once every eight years. The males and females are
sexually dimorphic, which means they are quite different in size and
appearance. The females will weigh about 80 pounds, and the males can weigh up
to about 132 pounds.
As their names
imply, they live on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. It is believed that in
the distant past, the islands were connected and when separated, the orangutans
evolved differently. It wasn’t until the 1990s that scientists decided that
these two orangutans are indeed separate species.
Distribution of the Bornean Orangutan
Map Credit: IUCN*
The Sumatran
species does not venture to the floor of the forest often. The fact that they
prefer to remain in the treetops makes sense as the Sumatran tiger is
indigenous to the island. The hair of the Sumatran Orangutan is paler, redder than
its Bornean cousin, which appears more brown and darker. The Bornean orangutan
has a broader face and a shorter beard than the Sumatran species. Also, there
is a distinct difference in the cheek flanges of the orangutans. The Bornean
species’ flanges grow wider causing the face to appear rounder. The face is also
covered with fine hair.
Sumatran Orangutan
Photo credit: WWF (https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/sumatran-orangutan)
Bornean Orangutan
Orangutans have
a very distinctive form. Their bodies are thin, and their arms and legs are
long and sinuous. They have long grasping digits on both their hands and feet,
which they use to move adeptly through their arboreal habitat.
Photo credit: franslanting.photoshelter.com
Although they
have been hunted relentlessly in the past, their populations continue declining
rapidly due to the destruction of their habitat. The desire for palm oil, which
is used in many products, is the major reason for the reduction of the
orangutan’s forest. According to what I have read, the need for palm oil has
not slowed, and as a result the destruction continues. However, there are some
who feel that this can be changed. To learn more about it, read the following
article: http://www.eco-business.com/opinion/conservation-in-palm-oil-is-possible/
Can we live
without palm oil? Can we find a substitute? Certainly, the orangutans cannot live
with it. Only we can make a change.
Photo credit: the Orangutan Conservancy
Dr. Biruté Mary
Galdikas has dedicated her life to protecting and rehabilitating orangutans. She
continues her work from ‘Camp Leakey’ in Borneo Indonesia. “Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas has studied orangutans longer than any
other person in human history and has worked ceaselessly to save orangutans and
forests, and to bring orangutans and their plight to the attention of the
world.”
To read more
about Dr. Galdikas and her passion, visit the following website:
Thanks so much for stopping by to read and
learn a bit about this unusual and critically endangered great ape. We have an
obligation to ensure that the orangutan survives in the wild. The ‘person’ of
the forest has as much a right to live as we do.
To read more about them, visit any one or all
of the below sites.
Jeanne E. Rogers, Award Winning
Author
The Sword of Demelza, The
Gift of Sunderland and
One Hot Mess, A Child’s Environmental Fable
Where Endangered Animal Heroes Roam
the Pages!
My books are available on Amazon and other online fine book retailers.
