A young orangutan sleeps on its mother, Indonesia 21 Apr 2017
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An orangutan sleeps on its mother back, wrapping its long arms around her and holding on. Orangutans are arboreal animals and live in the forests of Malaysia and Indonesia. They have characteristic red shaggy fur, an ape-like shape and longer, more powerful arms than their legs to help them travel from tree to tree; they can reach up to two metres.
Females begin reproducing between ten and 15 years old, usually giving birth to one offspring every five to ten years. Orangutans are solitary creatures but young stay with their mothers for roughly ten years, learning from them until they can survive alone. Add a wildlife excursion to any of Insight Guides' Indonesian itineraries for a chance to see orangutans up-close in the wild.
Alternatively, travel on Insight Guides' Traditional Malaysia & Wild Borneo holiday to meet orangutans in the Semenggok Nature Reserve in Kuching, Borneo.
