Britannica Sources used in this answer

How many living species of orangutan are recognized?

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.

There are three recognized living species of orangutan, all of which belong to the genus Pongo:

Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus)
Sumatran orangutan (P. abelii)
Tapanuli orangutan (P. tapanuliensis)1

Most authorities classify these as the three distinct species, with the Bornean orangutan further divided into three subspecies. All three species are currently listed as critically endangered due to threats such as habitat loss and poaching.1