Orangutans :: essays research papers

Orangutans     In Malay orang manner "person" and utan is defined as "forest. ThusOrangutan literally means "Person of the Forest". Orangutans are found in thetropical forests of Sumatra and Borneo. They are the most arboreal of the greatapes and move amongst the safety of the trees from unmatchable feeding web site to the next.They are so well adapted to arboreal life that they cannot place their feet onthe ground, instead they walk on the outside of their curved foot.      at that place is a scattered population of orangutan in Indonesian Borneo,Malaysia Borneo and northern Sumatra. The different habitats have isolated theorangutan reproductively and geographically from one another creating a " layerof difference" or two subspecies. There are several different characteristicsbetween the two subspecies of orangutans and it has recently been suggested thatthey may be a pick species. The Borneo male has relativel y large cheekpads, a tremendous laryngeal sac and a square shaped face. The Sumatran malehas small pads and laryngeal sac, a ginger coloured moustache, a pronouncedbeard, and a diamond shaped face. Individuals can also be distinguishedchromosomally, biochemically, and by their cranial characteristics.     There is a great deal of individual variety in the orangutan. "Eachorang-utan had a distinct personality and in dealing with such highly sizeable animals in captivity, the keepers knowledge of the individual wasprobably more important than the knowledge of the overall behaviour patterns "(Markham, 1980). Orangutan males, however, appear to be totally intolerant ofone another, especially the Borneo males who are even aggressive tocellblocks femalesand infants. Male orangutans participation in social groups is limited tosexual "consortship" with females. However, the Sumatran males tend to stay withfemales for a endless period of time usually unti l the birth of the infant.They may stay longer with their partner because of the presence of largepredators absent in the Borneo habitat. The orangutan has a menstrual cycle of29-30 days, menstruation lasting 3-4 days. The Gestation period lasts slightlyless than nine months. Offspring pass through three stages, infancy (0-4),juvenile (4-7), and adolescents (7-10). commence young relationship lasts for along time, the young usually stay with their mother until they are mount up.Female Orangutans are not sexually mature or fully grown until the age of twelveand will not have their first offspring until they are at least fourteen. Malesbecome sexually mature and fully grown at the age of fifteen. The cheek flangesof the male easily recognize the differences between adults and semi-adults. Theflanges in the Boreal male curve out ward from the face and develop around the