Orangutans are endemic to Indonesia and Malaysia. This animal is only found living wild on the island of Sumatra and the island of Borneo. At a glance the appearance of orangutans living in two places looks the same, but they are two different types of animals.

The difference between Sumatran orangutans and orangutans is most noticeable in the color of fur, body size, and face shape. Sumatran orangutans have lighter fur colors, smaller body size and more oblong face shape than the Borneo orangutans. Here are the differences between these two orangutans:

1 Scientific name

In general there are two types of orangutans, which live on the island of Sumatra and Borneo Island. Both types of orangutans are classified into the genus Pongo. While the name of the species is different, Sumatran orangutans are called Pongo abelii and kalimantan orangutans are called Pongo pygmaeus. Orang utans who live on Borneo Island are subdivided into 3 sub-species, diantaranta Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus, Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii, and Pongo pygmaeus morio.

2 The face shape

The difference in face shape is very noticeable in adult male orangutans. Male orangutans that have entered the adult phase usually have a cheek pad and a pouch of sound. The difference lies in the shape of the cheek pads, the orangutan kalimantan wide cheek pads so that the overall look looks more rounded. While the cheek pads sagging down so that his face looks more oval. Sumatran orangutan chin shape is also seen longer.

3 Body size

In general, the size of Sumatran orangutan body is smaller than the orangutan of Borneo. So far, Sumatran orangutans are known to have a maximum weight of 90 kg, while there are orangutan kalimantan reaching the body weight up to 150 kg. Female orangutans have a smaller weight that is about 30-50 kg, or half to one third of the male's weight.

4 Color and fur shape

Sumatran orangutan fur color is brighter, brown to orange. While orangutan kalimantan darker, dark brown. When viewed using a microscope of Sumatran orangutan fur is thinner and rounded while the coat of orangutan kalimantan shaped flat. Sumatran orangutan fur thicker and longer than the fur of the Bornean orangutan.

5 Habitat

Both of these orangutans live in lowland tropical rain forest habitats, swamps, and mountain forests.

6 Types of food

Bornean orangutans tend to have a variety of foods, ranging from fruits, shoots, to insects. Sumatran orangutans are known to consume more fruits, it is suspected the fruit season in Sumatra is longer so the availability of fruit is more abundant.

7 Behavior of life

Sumatran orangutans spend most of their lives in trees, hanging from tree to tree. Meanwhile, Bornean orangutans are often found walking on the ground. This difference is predicted by adaptation to predators. As we know in Sumatra there are tigers and tigers that predate orangutans, such predators are not found in Borneo. The smaller bodies of Sumatran orangutans help them to live above the tree canopy.

8 Conservation status

Currently, the Sumatran orangutan population in the wild is about 7300 birds. IUCN puts Sumatran orangutans into a red list with Critically endangered (CR) status, meaning critical to extinction. Meanwhile, the population of Kalimantan orangutans is about 45,000-69,000 in the wild. In the IUCN red list it is classified into Endangered (EN).