World Orangutan Day
Why it matters?
World Orangutan Day, observed on August 19, raises awareness about orangutan conservation and habitat threats. Sharing 97% DNA with humans, they influenced Darwin’s evolutionary theories after his 1838 encounter with “Jenny”.
What you should know?
The word orangutan comes from Malay, where “Orang” means person and “Hutan” means forest meaning Man of the Forest.
Orangutans are found only in Sumatra and Borneo, which fall under Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.
There are three species of orangutans: Sumatran (Pongo abelii), Bornean (Pongo pygmaeus), and Tapanuli (Pongo tapanuliensis).
They share about 97% of their DNA with humans and are our closest relatives after chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas.
All orangutan species are listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN.
Orangutans are the largest animals to live almost entirely in trees
Charles Darwin’s 1838 encounter with an orangutan named Jenny played an important role in shaping his evolutionary theory.
The main threats to orangutans are habitat destruction, deforestation, and the illegal pet trade.