Why is the Sumatran orangutan critically endangered?

It is restricted to a small, shrinking range in northern Sumatra, and ongoing deforestation for agriculture and logging has fragmented its habitat, leaving an estimated wild population of under 14,000.

How is the Sumatran orangutan different from the Bornean orangutan?

Sumatran orangutans tend to have thinner bodies, longer faces, and paler, longer hair than their Bornean relatives, and they spend more time in trees, likely to avoid predation by Sumatran tigers.

Do Sumatran orangutans use tools?

Yes, they are known to fashion sticks into tools for tasks such as extracting insects from tree bark or accessing seeds, and one wild individual was even observed using a chewed plant to treat a wound.

Sumatran Orangutanスマトラオランウータン

Pongo abeliiCR— Critically Endangered

The Sumatran orangutan is a great ape endemic to northern Sumatra, Indonesia, found almost entirely within Aceh Province. Highly arboreal and largely frugivorous, it is known for sophisticated tool use and a rich gestural communication system. With an estimated wild population of under 14,000, the IUCN lists it as Critically Endangered due to deforestation and habitat fragmentation.

Sumatran Orangutan (reference photo) — Photo: Andrew Regan / CC BY 3.0 / Source / cropped

Species Data

Classification: Primates / Hominidae Source
Size: Males about 1 m / females about 80 cm
Weight: Males about 90 kg / females about 40 kg
Lifespan: Wild: females 44–53 years, males 47–58 years / captive: records exceeding 62 years
Diet: Herbivore Essentially frugivorous, preferring fruit with large seeds surrounded by pulp (durian, lychee, jackfruit, figs, etc.); also eats insects, leaves, and bark, and may prey on slow lorises when fruit is scarce
Activity: Diurnal, and more arboreal than the Bornean orangutan
Distribution: The Sumatran orangutan is endemic to northern Sumatra, Indonesia, with about 82.5 percent of the population concentrated in Aceh Province as of 2017. Source
Sources: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

Did You Know?

It fashions and uses tools, such as shaping sticks to probe termite mounds or extract honey. Source
It communicates using as many as 64 distinct gestures. Source
In 2024, a wild individual was observed applying chewed medicinal plant material to a facial wound, a notable case of self-medication. Source

Where to See This Species

Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 4

Nonhoi ParkAichiAbout a 6-minute walk from the South Exit of Futagawa Station on the JR Tokaido Main Line.

Source

Conservation Story

Conservation Status

Critically Endangered (CR)

Sources

en.wikipedia.org

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FAQ

Why is the Sumatran orangutan critically endangered?: It is restricted to a small, shrinking range in northern Sumatra, and ongoing deforestation for agriculture and logging has fragmented its habitat, leaving an estimated wild population of under 14,000. Source
How is the Sumatran orangutan different from the Bornean orangutan?: Sumatran orangutans tend to have thinner bodies, longer faces, and paler, longer hair than their Bornean relatives, and they spend more time in trees, likely to avoid predation by Sumatran tigers. Source
Do Sumatran orangutans use tools?: Yes, they are known to fashion sticks into tools for tasks such as extracting insects from tree bark or accessing seeds, and one wild individual was even observed using a chewed plant to treat a wound. Source
How many operating facilities are registered here?: Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 4 Source

Books & gear

Source: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org