Four Great Apes

Under the Hominoidea family lies the four great apes, the pongidae ( Chimpanzees, Bonobos, Orangutans and Gorillas). The great apes are quite significant because their genetic makeup is closely related to another great primate-- humans. That being said, for this assigment, I chose to focus on the Orangutan, a living priate that shares 97.6 % of DNA with humans.

Orangutans are capable of recognizing themselves in a mirror, are known to use tools, learn from and teach each other new skills, as well as being able to take another’s perspective (observational learning). Researches have successfully taught orangutans sign language and other various communication skills, proving that their ability to grasp and process is evidence of a highly intelligent individual. Orangutans are also the largest arboreal mammals and the only great ape found in Asia, as the other three species can only be found in Africa.

There are two known species of Orangutans, who are geographically separated, one species lives in the islands of Borneo (Pongo pygmaeus), and the other in the

It has been known that most of the region has suffered deforestation to make room for palm oil plantations and Indonesia’s growing demand for wood products, around the world!. It has been documented that 70% of deforestation is illegally logged threatening the Orangutan population. Due to their strong arboreal needs which have been faced with deforestation, and human impact such as growth in population, bush meat, and hunting, orangutans have been placed as a great ape in danger of extinction. According to the IUCN, there has been over an 80% decline in Sumatran Orangutans in the last seventy five years, making them critically endangered. The Bornean Orangutan is listed as endangered by the IUCN, with a 50% decline over the last sixty