O is for Orang-utan

An orang-utan is a very big ape.

Orang-utans have long red hair.

They live on two islands - Borneo and Sumatra.

They live in the treetops in thick forests.

They do not come down to the ground very often.

Grown up orang-utans live by themselves.

Young orang-utans stay with their mothers until they are about 10.

Orang-utans have very long arms to help them move through the forest.

They swing from one branch to another high up in the trees.

Young orang-utans hang onto their mother's fur.

Orang-utans eat mostly fruit, but also leaves, buds and tree bark.

Sometimes they eat small insects or eggs.

There are not many orang-utans left in the wild because the forests where they live are being cut down.

 

Zoos are helping save orangutans.

We can sometimes see orangutans in a zoo.

 


Words

orang-utan
Large apes. They are the only apes that live in Asia. The other apes live in Africa.
Say -
uh-RANG-oo-tan

Sumatra
An island in Indonesia (say -
in-doe-nees-ee-uh), a country that has many islands.
Say -
soo-mar-truh

Borneo
An island near Indonesia
Say -
born-ee-oh


Acknowledge this source in your bibliography like this:
O is for orangutan (2000). [Online], Available: www.kidcyber.com.au

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updated October 2007