The Orangutan are two species of great ape found in Asia - specifically Indonesia and Malaysia. She leads an arboreal lifestyle. Her diet is largely vegetarian, although she has been known to eat insects and the occasional egg. She leads a relatively solitary life, unless she has a dependent youngster. Her range is within the territory of a dominant male and she will meet with him during mating season. She engages in nest building - creating a platform by manipulating branches and manouvering leaves - on which to sleep during the night, and also to sit during the day. Orangutan are very intelligent, and are under threat from deforestation. Large swathes of their habitat has been destroyed for palm oil plantations with the adults being shot. Youngsters end up being kept by pets or sold to tourists. Luckily help is at hand with sanctuaries rehabilitating those that are rescued and awareness of their plight being spread. However, it may have come too late, with both species declining rapidly in the wild.
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