Bornean Orangutan
Pongo pygmaeus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderPrimates
- FamilyHominidae (Great Apes)
- GenusPongo (Orangutans)
- SpeciesPongo pygmaeus (Bornean Orangutan)
About the Bornean Orangutan
The Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) is an orangutan species endemic to the island of Borneo. It belongs to the only genus of great apes native to Asia and is the largest of the three Pongo species. It has a coarse, reddish coat and up to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) long arms. It is sexually dimorphic — males are larger than females and develop large cheek pads (flanges).
The Bornean orangutan inhabits Borneo lowland rain forests and Borneo montane rain forests up to an elevation of 1,500 m (4,900 ft). Its diet includes fruits, seeds, flowers, bird eggs, sap and vines. It is highly intelligent, displaying tool use and distinct cultural patterns. It is listed as Critically Endangered, with deforestation, palm oil plantations, and hunting posing a serious threat to its survival. It is scheduled as a "totally protected animal" under Sarawak state law through the 1998 Wild Life Protection Ordinance.
The Bornean orangutan was originally named and scientifically described by Carl Linnaeus in 1799 under the scientific name Simia satyrus, meaning "satyr monkey", but was changed when scientists discovered that not all orangutans are one species. The holotype of this organism is located... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Sepilok
Philippine Slow Loris
Nycticebus menagensis
Proboscis Monkey
Nasalis larvatus
Southern Pig-tailed Macaque
Macaca nemestrina
Horsfield's Tarsier
Cephalopachus bancanus
Maroon Leaf Monkey
Presbytis rubicunda
Crab-eating Macaque
Macaca fascicularis
North Bornean Gray Gibbon
Hylobates funereus
Silvered Leaf Monkey
Trachypithecus cristatus
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tanjung Puting National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 2 | Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 3 | Danum Valley Conservation Area | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 4 | Sepilok | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 5 | Kinabalu Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Bornean Orangutan in Sepilok?
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Bornean Orangutan sighting in Sepilok, based on 80 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Bornean Orangutan in Sepilok?
November has the highest sighting rate for Bornean Orangutan in Sepilok in our monthly data.