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What is the purpose of an adult male orangutan’s throat pouch?

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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 throat pouch of an adult male orangutan serves as a resonating chamber for the "long call." This vocalization consists of a sequence of roars that can sometimes be heard for up to 2 km (1.2 miles). The primary purpose of this call is to space out males and attract sexually receptive females.1