Orangutan Holidays

Also known as the red ape, or the "person the forest", orang-utans are the largest tree-living mammals. Orangutans are only found in the remaining tropical rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. Ten thousand years ago they were found throughout Southeast Asia, ranging all the way into Southern China. Since then their range has shrunk dramatically and now, under IUCN listings, Sumatran orangutans are classified as critically endangered and the Bornean as endangered. Orangutans are the only truly arboreal ape and are well adapted to this forest lifestyle having long arms and hook-shaped hands and feet. They sleep in trees and are experts in constructing nests and are principally fruit eaters but they can also eat leaves, bark, stems and occasionally insects.

Unlike their close relatives the chimpanzee and gorilla, orangutans do not live in large social groups. Adult males are usually found alone and adult females are generally accompanied by one or two infants. Orangutans have a slow reproductive rate, having only one offspring every seven to eight years in the wild. Most infants will stay with their mothers until they are about seven or eight years old. Generally orangutans will often display emotions by branch shaking in anger and smacking their lips together to produce a sound known as ‘kiss squeaking’ to show displeasure. Adult male orangutans also advertise their presence by a roar called a ‘long call’.

The video footage below was taken on our November tour by Kieran Murphy, Steppes Travel Managing Director.

Group Tours

Borneo Orangutan Conservation Tour
Gain privileged insight into orangutan conservation.
Borneo Orangutan Photography Safari
Join a professional photographer on an orangutan safari in the wilds of Borneo