Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), Tanjung Puting, Borneo.
Image: Thomas Fuhrmann, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- CR · Critically Endangered
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The Bornean orangutan is one of three orangutan species, a large, mostly solitary, tree-dwelling great ape. It is assessed as Critically Endangered.
Like all orangutans it reproduces very slowly, so populations recover only gradually.
Range & habitat
The island of Borneo, shared by Indonesia and Malaysia.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Deforestation for agriculture and palm oil
- Habitat fragmentation
- Killing and illegal capture
Why it matters
As a large, fruit-eating ape, the Bornean orangutan disperses rainforest seeds and is a flagship for protecting Borneo's threatened forests.
Gallery
Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), Kalimantan.
Image: Ridwan0810, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for Bornean Orangutan
- IUCN Red List — look up Bornean Orangutan (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
- Smithsonian's National Zoo
Frequently Asked Questions
How many orangutan species are there?
Why is the Bornean orangutan Critically Endangered?
Last updated: