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How long can male orangutans remain in the subadult stage?

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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.

Male orangutans can remain in the subadult stage for 10 to 20 years.1

This period of arrested development is linked to social conditions, specifically the presence of a dominant, full-grown male. When a subadult male is in proximity to a dominant male, his physical maturation—such as the development of characteristic cheek pads and a large throat pouch—remains suppressed. If the dominant male moves away or is removed from the vicinity, the subadult male typically undergoes a rapid transformation, experiencing a surge in testosterone that leads to full maturity within approximately one year.21