Orangutan swinging © naturepl.com/ Anup Shah/ WWF

Did you know the word orangutan means man of the forest in the Malay language? Found only on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, orangutans are the world's largest tree-climbing mammals. They make nests of vegetation in trees to sleep in at night and rest in during the day. They are considered to be gardeners of the forest, playing a vital role in seed dispersal. Their forest habitat is fast disappearing to make way for oil palm plantations and other agricultural plantations. Today, more than 50% of orangutans are found outside protected areas in forests under management by timber, palm oil, and mining companies.

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