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Endangered Animals - Orangutans

Endangered Animals - Orangutans Orangutans are part of the ape family. Other apes include gibbons, gorillas, and chimpanzees.

Apes are different than monkeys in that they don't have tails and their arms are longer than their legs. Apes also have long fingers and toes and usually walk in a semi-upright position when they are on the ground. They have large brains and are considered to be highly intelligent. All apes live either in Africa or Asia.

All members of the ape family are endangered. Sample these internet sites and complete the activities for each one to learn more about endangered orangutans.

All About Orangutans
http://www.AllAboutNature.com/subjects/apes/orangutan/

  1. What is the literal meaning of the word "orangutan"?
  2. Describe what an orangutan looks like.
  3. What does diurnal mean?
  4. How long does a mother orangutan stay with her offspring?
  5. Orangutans build nests. Explain this.
  6. What is a long call? Why do males do this? What adaptation to their anatomy do they have that allows them to make this sound?
  7. Where in Asia do orangutans live?

Time Out for Orangutan Facts

Male orangutans can have an arm span of up to 8 feet! The average arm span of an adult human male is about 6 feet.

Bagheera : Orangutan
http://www.bagheera.com/inthewild/van_anim_orang.htm

  1. The great apes include gorillas, chimpanzees, and orangutans. Of these, orangutans are the most arboreal. What does "arboreal" mean?
  2. How do orangutans get a drink of water?
  3. According to this site, orangutans are omnivorous. What does this mean? List some of the things that they eat. What is their favorite food?
  4. The lower elevation forests where orangutans used to live have mostly been cut down to make way for palm oil plantations. How are the higher elevation forests where many orangutans are being forced to go different from the lower elevation forests?
  5. Describe the problems that logging causes for orangutans.
  6. What were the disasterous results to wild orangutans when a Taiwanese television show featured a baby orangutan as a pet?
  7. What happens to many baby pet orangutans when they grow up?

Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation
 http://www.orangutan.com/

Use the buttons on the left side of the screen to navigate this site.

  1. List two reasons that Orangutans are a threatened species.
  2. Certain items that are for sale from Indonesia are made from materials coming from the rainforest. List 2 of those items that we should avoid purchasing.
  3. The tropical rainforest of Borneo supports thousands of plant and animal species. Name 5 animals that live in this part of the world.

Orangutan
http://www.wildsanctuary.com/orang.html

  1. If your computer will support sound files, click on the word "Listen" to hear vocalizations of orangutans.

Using World Book Encyclopedia Online, choose one of the other 3 apes - gorillas, gibbons, or chimpanzees - and 5 facts about them.

Author: LINDA MOSBACKER - Email linda.mosbacker@slc.k12.ut.us