Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Britannica Sources used in this answer

How many orangutan species 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 species of orangutan (genus Pongo), all of which are native to the rainforests of Southeast Asia.1

These species include:

  • Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus): Found across large portions of Borneo.1
  • Sumatran orangutan (P. abelii): Limited to northern Sumatra.1
  • Tapanuli orangutan (P. tapanuliensis): Also limited to northern Sumatra and first described as a distinct species in 2017.1

All three species are currently classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as critically endangered species due to significant threats from habitat loss and poaching.1