Morio Forest Man, Keeper of the Borneo Forest

ORANG UTAN (Pongo pygmaeus morio)

Taxonomy Classification

Kingdom                : Animalia

Filum                    : Chordata

Class                     : Mammalia

Ordo                      : Primates

Famili                    : Hominidae

Upafamili               : Ponginae

Genus                    : Pongo

Once Humanity is dying in Mankind, sometimes animals are guiding us back to our basics.

Who does not recognize the photo above? a photo that aroused international enthusiasm for the Orangutan. The photo above is the work of an Indian photographer who lives in Balikpapan City, East Kalimantan. The photo was on the cover of National Geographic Magazine and won many international awards. photo taken at BOSF Samboja, Kutai Kartanegara, East Kalimantan. let's take the time to watch a video from Mr. Anil T Prabhakar who just uploaded our feelings to care for the Orang Utans who made Indonesia their last home before they became extinct. Their sustainability is in our hands.

The term orangutan is taken from the Malay vocabulary, namely 'Orang' which means human and 'Utan' which means forest. Thus, Orangutans mean humans who live in the forest. It is not wrong if Orang Utans are called "Humans", because these rare animals have close kinship with humans, the DNA similarity between orangutans and humans is 96.4%.

Orangutans are the only great apes that live in mainland Asia, while all of their relatives are in Africa. Other great apes namely Gorillas, Chimpanzees and Bonobos are found in the African region.

90% of the Orangutan population is in Indonesia and only in two places, namely the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan. There are 5 sub-species of Orangutan, two of which are in Sumatra and 3 sub-species are in Kalimantan.

According to the fossil record of experts, Orangutans until the end of the Pleistone can be found in most lowland forests in Southeast Asia, from the foothills of Wuliang Shan in Yunan, South China, to the south of Java Island, with a total distribution area of ​​1.5 million km² ( Rijksen and Meijard, 1999). According to Atmoko (2007), the Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) and the Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) were geographically separated at least 10,000 years ago, when sea level rise occurred between the two islands.

The Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) is spread throughout the islands of Borneo in Indonesia (Kalimantan) and Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak, the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) on the island of Sumatra and the native Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) from South Tapanuli. Orangutan subspecies includes :

Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus)

Male orangutan with wide cheek pads so that his face is rounded. Orangutans can weigh more than 90kg, and have dark brown hair. Bornean orangutans are mostly found in peat swamp forests.

Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii)

Male orangutans have cheek pads that sag down and have an oval face. Its weight can reach up to 90 kg, and has light orange brown hair. The Sumatran orangutan's habitat is in highland or mountainous forests with an altitude of 1,000 meters above sea level.

The Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis)

The habitat of the Tapanuli Orangutan can only be found in the Batang Toru Ecosystem, North Sumatra and was officially named a new species in 2017. The physical differences of the tapanuli orangutan, namely the skull and jawbone are smaller but the canines are larger than the Sumatran and Kalimantan orangutans, the hair is thicker and curly. The male tapanuli orangutan has a prominent mustache and beard with flat cheek pads covered with fine blond hair.

Differences in facial characteristics of Sumatran, Kalimantan and Tapanuli orangutans

Bornean orangutan habitat

Bornean orangutans are scattered almost throughout the island of Borneo. The Schwaner and Muller mountain ranges have two major rivers, namely the Kapuas River (West Kalimantan), and the Mahakam River (East Kalimantan) as a natural barrier that forms the three subspecies of Bornean orangutans today.

Pongo pymaeus pygmaeus which is spread over the Northwest of Kalimantan (Betung Kerihun National Park, Danau Sentarum and surrounding areas), north of the Kapuas River to the northeast of Sarawak.

Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii has a distribution in Southwest Kalimantan, the southern part of the Kapuas river (West Kalimantan) and a small population in the eastern part of the Barito river (South Kalimantan).

Pongo pygmaeus morio whose distribution is limited to Sabah and the eastern part of Kalimantan as far as the Mahakam river.

Conservation Status

All sub-species of the Bornean orangutan are endangered species and are fully protected by Indonesian legislation. This species is classified by CITES into the Appendix I category (species that are prohibited from being traded commercially because they are very vulnerable to extinction).

Some of the main threats faced by Bornean orangutans are habitat loss, illegal logging, forest fires, poaching and the trade of orangutans as pets.Orangutans are often referred to as pests because they are often considered disturbing plantations so that conflicts between orangutans and humans are not uncommon.In the past, orangutans came in destroying oil palm shoots to eat. because they are considered pests, the palm oil company offers a competition with a prize money to kill an orangutan. therefore the hunter kills the mother and sells the cubs to be traded as pets so that they get a lot of money.but now with many Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) engaged in conservation and conservation, land conflicts with animals can be reduced because NGOs immediately move to rehabilitate and relocate wild animals that have lost their habitat.

orangutans become victims during conflicts with humans

Orangutan Food

Types of food for orangutans as many as 317 food species that can be identified, consisting of 227 different plant species, four species of fungi, five types of insects, one type of wild honey. Orangutans also drink water from rivers, swamps, and holes in trees (Galdikas, 1986). Despite the great variability in the diet of orangutans, orangutans are inherently frugivorous.

Orangutans make use of the fruit, flowers, leaves, buds and bark and fluids of various species of trees, creepers and other plants, as well as a variety of small vines, orchids, roots of water reeds, termites, caterpillars, weaver ants. , fungi (fungus), honey, roots and stems of young rattan shoots, creepers, epiphytes, ferns and small palms, most orangutans' diet (235 or 74%) comes from tree species (Galdikas, 1986).

Orangutan Rescue Center

On the island of Borneo, there are 5 Pongo Pygmaeus rehabilitation centers, in Central Kalimantan there is the Orang Utan Foundation which manages the orangutan care center and quarantine (Waringin City) and Camp Leakey which is located in Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan.East Kalimantan is managed by the Center for Orangutan Protection (COP), namely the Borneo Orang Utan Survival Foundation in Samboja and the Nyaru Menteng Rehabilitation Center. COP is also in the process of constructing a new rehabilitation site, namely the Sepaku area, Penajam.There is also International Animal Rescue (IAR) which has an orangutan rehabilitation location in Sungai Cloud Village, Ketapang, West Kalimantan. Apart from Kalimantan, the Indonesian part, there is also an Orangutan rehabilitation center in Kalimantan, the Malaysian part, namely the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center, Sabah, East Malaysia.

Orangutans are already very rare to see in Kalimantan, but that doesn't mean they are impossible to see. The following national parks in Indonesia which are the location of orangutans can be seen, namely:

Sumatera island (pongo abelii & Pongo Tapanuliensis)

1. Gunung leuser National Park, Bukit Lawang, North Sumatera.

2. Bukit tiga puluh National Park, Jambi.

3. Batang Gadis National Park, North Sumatera.

4. Ekosistem Batang Toru, South Tapanuli, North sumatera ( pongo Tapanuliensis).

Kalimantan Island ( pongo Pygmaeus pygmaeus, pongo Pygmaeus Morio, Pongo Pygmaeus wurmbii).

1.  Kutai National Park, East Kalimantan

2. Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan.

3. Nyaru Menteng Rehabilitation Center, palangkaraya Central Kalimantan.

4. Betung Kerihun National Park, West Kalimantan.

5. Samboja Lodge (Borneo Orang Utan Survival Foundation), Samboja, Kutai Kartanegara, East Kalimantan.

6. Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center (International Animal Rescue) Indonesia, Ketapang, West Kalimantan.

7. Wehea Kelay Protected Forest, East Kutai, East Kalimantan.

   
   

The Uniqueness of the Orang Utan

1. The Smartest Primate Species

Orangutans are known as a very intelligent primate species. This can be seen from the various behaviors of these animals. For example, being able to use a stick to pick up food, such as fruit on a tree properly, choosing broad leaves as protection from rain and heat, and concocting own medicines to treat oneself.

2. Have very close kinship with Humans.

One of the interesting facts about orangutans is the DNA structure that these primates have. According to the results of the research, it is known that the DNA of Orang Utans has similarities with human DNA, even the level of similarity reaches 96.4%. This shows that humans and Orang Utans have a very close relationship.

3. Male orangutans make a long call.

In the orangutan's throat there is a voice bag. It turns out that the voice bag has its own function for these primates. The sound bag produces a louder and longer sound, even a distance of 1 kilometer can still be heard.

4. The length of the orangutan's arms.

Although his body size is not too tall, but it turns out that the orangutan's arms are very long, even exceeding the size of the arms of other primates. One of the factors that triggers this animal's arm length to reach 2.3 meters is its habit of hanging from one tree to another using its arms.

5. Strong Animals.

Although stated to have close relationship with humans, the physical strength of the Orang Utan is still far above that of humans. Its strength is even estimated to be six times greater than that of a human. Not only physically, but also teeth. Even so, these primates are known to be harmless and even calmer.

6. Lazy and likes to sleep.

Orangutans are not only known as lazy animals, but also primates who like to sleep. In order to sleep more comfortably, these animals usually make mattresses from the branches in their nests. Not only that, just like humans, orangutans will also sleep during the day between their activities.

If you want to see wild orangutans, please come to Prevab Kutai National Park. There, Orangutans still behave naturally because they rarely interact with humans.they live comfortably in the Kutai national park area which is protected from the threat of deforestation and poaching. and also the orangutans in Kutai National Park are not the result of rehabilitation and reintroduction from orangutan rescue centers.

If you find an Orang Utan that requires evacuation assistance, please carefully secure it to a place that does not endanger orangutans and humans and makes it easier for the rescue team to evacuate, contact the East Kalimantan BKSDA number as soon as possible, namely:

WhatsApp call center: 082113338181 ☎️ 0541-743556

post photos / videos by tagging BKSDA Kaltim's IG at the following link:

https://www.instagram.com/bksda_kaltim/

Here's an Instagram account link that you can follow to add insight into saving protected wild animals in Indonesia:

Kutai National Park : https://www.instagram.com/btn_kutai/

Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF) : https://www.instagram.com/bosfoundation/

Samboja BOSF Lodge : https://www.instagram.com/bosf_sambojalodge/

The Centre for Orangutan Protection (COP) : https://www.instagram.com/orangutan_cop/

Tanjung Puting National Park : https://www.instagram.com/tanjungputing/

International Animal Rescue (IAR) : https://www.instagram.com/iar_indonesia/

Ayo ke Taman Nasional : https://www.instagram.com/ayoketamannasional_official/

Kayan Mentarang National Park : https://www.instagram.com/btn_kayanmentarang/

Sebangau National Park : https://www.instagram.com/btn_sebangau/

Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park : https://www.instagram.com/btn_bukitbakabukitraya/

Gunung Palung National Park : https://www.instagram.com/btn_gn_palung/

Sintang Orang Utan Center : https://www.instagram.com/sintangorangutancenter/

Yayasan Orang Utan Indonesia (YAYORIN) : https://www.instagram.com/yayorin.id/

The Orang Utan Project : https://www.instagram.com/theorangutanproject/

Orang Utan Foundation : https://www.instagram.com/orangutan_foundation/

Orang Utan Information Center : https://www.instagram.com/orangutaninformationcentre/

Sumatran Orangutan Society : https://www.instagram.com/orangutanssos/

Bukit Dua Belas National Park : https://www.instagram.com/btn_bukitduabelas/

Bukit Tiga Puluh National Park : https://www.instagram.com/btn_bukittigapuluh/

Ditjen Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam dan Ekosistem KLHK : https://www.instagram.com/konservasi_ksdae/

Kukangku : https://www.instagram.com/kukangku/

Natha Satwa Nusantara : https://www.instagram.com/nathasatwanusantara/

Animal Defenders Indonesia : https://www.instagram.com/animaldefendersindo/

Fotographer wildlife Mr. Anil T Prabhakar : https://www.instagram.com/anil_t_prabhakar/

wildlife fotographer and Ranger of Kutai National Park Mr. Haryadi :

FB : https://web.facebook.com/haryadibotledjojotaruno

IG : https://www.instagram.com/xplorer_kutai.np/

link Video Of Mr. Anil : https://www.instagram.com/p/CA7yh9vJSIK/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

*Source and research literature adapted and summarized from various sources. such as from the BOSF website, COP, IAR, YAYORIN, and many more. besides that it is also taken from various scientific works such as research results. The author does not intend to be money oriented or to get commercial benefits, but purely to invite readers to increase their awareness of the preservation of Orang Utans. All photos include a watermark from the original owner, if something is not pleasing, please contact via the following link: linkr.bio/6rjr9