Britannica Sources used in this answer

How do orangutans make their sleeping nests?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

An illustration of a female Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) with long reddish-brown fur, hanging from tree branches with one arm extended upward and one leg hooked over a branch. A scale bar at the bottom shows lengths of 30 centimeters and 12 inches for size reference. — orangutan Female orangutans (*Pongo*) have the longest breeding interval of any mammal, giving birth on average once every eight years.

Orangutans construct their sleeping nests in the trees almost every night by bending and breaking branches, twigs, and leaves to create a platform. Unlike other great apes, orangutans also frequently utilize vegetation to shield themselves from the rain while resting in these structures.1