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Sumatran Orangutan Sean McCanty
Goals
• Address the background of the Sumatran Orangutan
• Research into life histories and awareness
• Describe the threats facing the orangutan in the wild
• Look at conservation and reintroduction attempts
Background
• Pongo abelli
• Bornean: Pongo pygmaeus
• Only Asiatic Great Ape genus
• Sexually dimorphic
• Males: up to 1.4 m, 80+ kg
• Female: up to 1.1m, 35+ kg
• Less than 6,600 individuals in the wild – Critically Endangered
• Restricted to forest patches in Northern Sumatra
Background
• Reddish/orange fur
• Highly arboreal – quadrumanous locomotion
• Territorial in both sexes • Flanged or unflanged males
• Less gregarious than other great apes • Ranges: 800-1500ha for females
• Mostly frutivores although important deviations
Life History
• Lifespan: Males: 58+, Females: 53+
• Age at first reproduction: 15.4
• Interbirth interval: 8.2-9.3 years
• Males disperse while females remain in natal area
• Exist in a metapopulation of at least 3 genetically distinct subpopulations
Intelligence and Culture
• Many findings of cultural learning
• Self medication using non-dietary plants and soil consumption
• A study using orphaned individuals from 2 different populations where stick use both occurred and did not occur introduced to 2 tasks testing their skills at stick use • Demonstrated a lack of genetic explanation for stick use skill level
and a “cultural” awareness
• Complex information seeking strategies • Determine whether to learn more based on cost to learn,
likelihood of error, and value of reward
Threats
• Biggest threats are from
• Habitat destruction
• Kills by humans
• Illegal pet trade
• Replacement of natural habitat with oil palm
• Additional threats from disease
• Human parasites
Reintroduction/Conservation
• Attempted PVAs to facilitate reintroduction into central Sumatra with limited success
• Difficulties due to captive individuals not knowing how to care for their young
• Most wild individuals within the bounds of national parks
• Current research into controlling conflicts between agriculture and orangutans
Summary
• Threatened by loss of habitat and exacerbated by lack of connections among suitable habitat
• Protections need better enforcement and the development of “orangutan friendly” mentality
• Better organization among conservation groups is required
Selected Bibliography
• S.A. Wich, S.S. Utami-Atmoko, T. Mitra Setia, H.D. Rijksen, C. Schürmann, J.A.R.A.M. van Hooff, C.P. van Schaik. (2004). Life history of wild Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii). Journal of Human Evolution. 47(6):385–398
• Alexander Nater, Natasha Arora, Maja P. Greminger, Carel P. van Schaik,Ian Singleton, Serge A. Wich, Gabriella Fredriksson, Dyah Perwitasari-Farajallah,Joko Pamungkas, and Michael Krützen (2013). Marked Population Structure and Recent Migration in the Critically Endangered Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii). J. Hered 104(1): 2-13
• Thibaud Gruber, Ian Singleton, Carel van Schaik. (2012). Sumatran Orangutans Differ in Their Cultural Knowledge but Not in Their Cognitive Abilities. Current Biology. 22(23): 2231–2235
• Singleton, I., Wich, S.A. & Griffiths, M. 2008. Pongo abelii. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN
Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 25 April 2013.
• Photo credit: Prof. Tom Hilde