The Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), native to the island of Borneo, is one of three extant species of great apes native to Indonesia and Malaysia – the other two are the Sumatran orangutan and the Tapanuli orangutan. The name orangutan is derived from the Malay and Indonesian words orang, meaning person, and hutan, meaning forest – so person of the forest. Orangutang are the largest tree-dwelling mammals. The Bornean orangutan is a critically endangered species, with deforestation, palm oil plantations, and hunting posing a serious threat to its continued existence. Orangutans share approximately 97% of their DNA with humans.
