THE RED "PEOPLE OF THE FOREST"

By Zacky

There are many Apes lived in Indonesia, one of them are Orangutans. They are the largest tree-climbing mammal and the only great ape found in Asia. Their range state is around Indonesia, and Malaysia.
The lowland forest habitats of this red "man of the forest" are fast disappearing under the chainsaw, or being burned deliberately to make way for agriculture and oil palm plantations. Unless these unique apes are conserved in well-managed, secure protected areas, and in wider forest landscapes connected by corridors, they may well be facing extinction in the wild.
They have a characteristic ape-like shape; shaggy reddish fur and grasping both hands and feet, with very long arms that may reach 2 m in length. Legs are relatively short and weak, but the hands and arms are powerful. Adult males are distinguished by their large size, throat pouch and cheek pads on either side of the face.
They travel about by moving from one tree to another, avoiding climbing down to the ground. The species moves on "all fours", with the clenched fist placed on the ground. At night they make a nest of vegetation to sleep in, with smaller ones made during the day to rest.
Wild orangutans have also been observed making tools to scratch themselves, using leafy branches to shelter under, and using branches for foraging, honey collection etc. Released captive individuals are reported to use sticks for digging, fighting, eating, scratching, and many other purposes. Indonesian government must protect this great apes because their status are Endangered to Critically Endangered.