Pestilential fruit, pythons that want to eat you, and the usual mess humans make
Ah, the Bornean orangutans!
You know, those red-haired primates who always seem to be blissfully enjoying everything around them, with that calm, satisfied expression that says, “Life’s better when you take it easy, mate.”
They really are incredible creatures: they live in a dense, fascinating jungle full of dangers and pitfalls, like a tropical version of an obstacle course, facing threats that would make anyone lose their mind.
We absolutely love them, and if you’ve made it this far, chances are you do too, right?
Well then, if we’ve guessed right, in this article we’ll introduce you to them properly—and when you get to the end, there’ll be something even better: the chance to see them in person in their natural habitat!
Pretty amazing, isn’t it?
Come on, let’s get started!
Read also: Why do beavers build dams? Nature, very badly explained
The strange life of Bornean orangutans
Bornean orangutans are unusual animals, a bit like Italian tourists who go on holiday with eggplant parmigiana in their carry-on luggage. They live mostly in the trees, because they really want nothing to do with walking around on the ground.
But why?
Well, there are several reasons:
- orangutans have very long and powerful arms—seriously powerful. They may look like laid-back drifters swaying among the trunks, but they are an absolute force of nature. And since they also have curved fingers plus hands and feet that give them a strong grip on branches, life in the trees is clearly much easier for them;
- trees offer better protection from land predators. Sure, orangutans are strong, but they are hunted by formidable animals such as crocodiles (when they get close to waterways) and reticulated pythons. Now, when it comes to the latter, you might think, “Come on, it’s a snake—what could it possibly do to a 100-kilo ape?” Well, reticulated pythons are enormous creatures, growing up to 7 metres or more, with a body diameter that can rival a watermelon. In fact, there have been documented cases of reticulated pythons swallowing an entire sun bear;
- as we’ll see later, orangutans’ diet consists mainly of fruit, leaves, bark, and insects, all of which are abundant in the treetops. Basically, would you like living just steps away from pizzerias, pastry shops, and sandwich bars? Well, so do they;
- orangutans are solitary animals for much of their lives, a bit like that uncle you only ever see at Christmas and Easter Monday, and trees provide individual spaces where they can avoid conflict and direct competition with other orangutans;
- tree branches provide a safe environment for building nests, where females can give birth and raise their young away from the dangers on the forest floor.
When they need to move around, young orangutans swing from tree to tree with their long, strong arms like Tarzan—but without the shouting, a little more dignified, let’s say. Older orangutans, on the other hand, prefer a more relaxed approach and move along on all fours, resting on their knuckles.
Then every evening, they prepare a fresh bed made of pressed leaves several metres above the ground, making us humans look rather pathetic considering how easily we get confused even with children’s building blocks.
The orangutan diet: and we complain about cream in carbonara...
Let’s take a closer look at the diet of the Bornean orangutan.
These very furry primates are true food lovers, and their diet is mainly (though not exclusively) frugivorous—that is, fruit-based. And, as we explained, they find everything they need right in their trees: bananas, mangoes, figs, but also lesser-known things like rambutan, marang, and durian.
Ah yes, durian—those fruits with such a, let’s say, unforgettable smell! The kind of thing many people would only taste under extreme pressure, but orangutans absolutely love them and devour them as if there were no tomorrow.
And, as mentioned, it’s not just fruit: they also enjoy other “delicacies,” like tree bark and lots of crunchy insects...
The wonderful thing about orangutans is that, without even knowing it, they do the environment a huge favour simply by eating. After eating fruit, they produce some impressively generous droppings, scattering seeds here and there that help regenerate the rainforest. In short, they provide a real ecological service—natural altruists, always ready to make their rather smelly contribution to the cause.
And somehow, we humans just can’t help messing up the animal world
Bornean orangutans are not doing particularly well. In fact, you could say they have more problems than an ice cream company trying to do business at the North Pole. The main threat to these adorable primates is habitat destruction, which basically means their home is being wiped out faster than a sandcastle during a storm surge. Borneo’s rainforests are being cut down to make room for oil palm plantations, leaving orangutans without a place to hang their hammock.
Then there is the illegal trade, which is truly awful. Baby orangutans are captured to be sold as pets, and to do this poachers often kill their mothers.
And if that weren’t enough, climate change is also making things worse. Rainfall is becoming unpredictable and food is scarcer, forcing orangutans to travel farther and farther in search of something to eat.
But not all is lost—thankfully, there are conservation projects.
Take the Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre, for example, where orphaned babies are cared for and prepared for life in the jungle. It’s like a nursery, but with more leaves and fewer nappies. Here, orangutans learn how to do everything, including recognising edible fruit, and when they are ready, they are reintroduced into their natural habitat with a microchip under the skin.
So yes, the threats are many, but thanks to conservation efforts there is still hope. And let’s be honest—who wouldn’t want these fantastic “gardeners of the forest” to keep doing their job and making Borneo a better place?
In conclusion
Bornean orangutans are absolutely amazing: big shaggy characters swinging through the trees and scattering seeds all over the place as if there were no tomorrow.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to go to Borneo and see them in real life? Yes?
Well, with Sto Gran Tour, you can!
Not only will you get to admire these lovable creatures up close, but you’ll also understand why it is so important to protect these forests and the animals that live there. And at the same time, you’ll discover the deepest soul of Borneo—the one ordinary tour packages could never possibly offer you.
So, if you’re tired of the usual painfully boring holidays where, no matter how you turn it, you always end up doing the same things, consider Borneo: the orangutans are waiting for you, ready to show you what life is really like and help you see the world in a completely new light.
Not a bad proposal, right?
Check out the itinerary for our two-week trip to Borneo and join the next departure: it will be an unforgettable experience!
