Sumatran Orangutan: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Great Apes and Leaf Monkeys · day 2 of 7

Five facts

1. In one swamp, Suaq Balimbing, orangutans shape sticks to fish out termites and honey. They keep the best ones, building up whole toolboxes.
2. In 2024, a wild male named Rakus chewed up leaves and spread the paste on a wound on his face. Weeks later, it seemed to have healed.
3. Orangutans talk with their hands and bodies: scientists have listed 64 different gestures, such as ones for play, sharing food or moving away.
4. Up in the trees, it sips rainwater from little natural bowls. In heavy downpours, it even drinks water off the hair on its arms.
5. Mothers wait an average of 9.3 years between babies, the longest gap known among the great apes.

The quiz

1. What do orangutans at Suaq Balimbing do with tools that work well?

• They throw them away
• They keep them, building up toolboxes (correct)
• They give them to tigers
• They bury them in the mud

Useful tools are often saved, so over time they collect whole toolboxes.

2. What did Rakus put on the wound on his face?

• Mud from a river
• Tree sap
• A paste of chewed leaves (correct)
• Honey

He chewed leaves into a paste and spread it on the wound, which then seemed to heal.

3. How many different orangutan gestures have scientists listed?

• 64 (correct)
• 4
• 12
• 500

A list of 64 different gestures has been identified.

4. How does a Sumatran orangutan drink in heavy rain?

• It climbs down to a river
• It catches drops in a cupped leaf
• It licks wet rocks
• It drinks water off its arm hair (correct)

In heavy rain, orangutans were seen drinking water from the hair on their arms.

5. On average, how long do mothers wait between babies?

• 3 months
• 1 year
• 9.3 years (correct)
• 20 years

The average gap is 9.3 years, the longest known among great apes.

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