OtterKnow Kids EncyclopediaThe orangutan is a big, furry ape with long orange hair. It lives in the rainforests of Asia. The word orangutan means “person of the forest!”
Orangutans have long, shaggy orange hair and very long arms that help them swing from tree to tree. Their arms are so long that they can reach all the way to their ankles! Male orangutans have big, round face pads that make their faces look extra wide.
Orangutans love to eat fruit, especially sweet mangoes and figs. They are super smart and can even use sticks as tools to get food! Orangutans also eat leaves, bark, and bugs.
- Every night, orangutans build a cozy nest out of leaves and branches to sleep in.
- Baby orangutans stay with their moms for many years, longer than almost any other animal.
- Orangutans are so smart that they have been seen using leaves as umbrellas when it rains!
