How does an orangutan’s reddish hair help identify it?

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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.

The reddish hair of an orangutan is a defining physical characteristic that covers their dark tan or brownish skin. While this hair is typically coarse and sparse, it serves as a primary visual identifier for the species.1

In adult males, this hair can grow to significant lengths, sometimes appearing like a cape when the animal moves its arms. Because orangutans are the only great apes native to Asia, this distinctive reddish coat helps distinguish them from their African counterparts, such as the gorilla and the chimpanzee.1