Orang Utan; The Natural History of

The name “orang-utan” conjures up very different images to different people: shy, elusive man of the forest; a tantalizing glimpse into unknown worlds of the jungles of the Far East; an endearing, appealing and amusing star of popular movies; the highlight of a visit to the zoo. But what is the true nature of the orang-utan? It is in the record book for several reasons: it is one of our closest relatives; it Is the largest primate in Asia; and is the largest tree-dwelling animal in the world. Its uncanny resemblance to humans means that it has long been the subject of local myths and legends, and anecdotes about its life peppered the writings of early explorers and naturalists. Once widespread throughout East and Southeast Asia, the orang-utan now occurs only in the tropical rain forests of Sumatra and Borneo, and its range and numbers are still shrinking rapidly. Its high agility and intelligence and solitary life-style have adapted it perfectly to the difficulties of surviving in such forests, but are they sufficient to allow it to survive into the rapidly changing environment of the twenty-first century? This popular book takes us into the natural world of the orang-utan and its rain forest home. It explores all aspects of the orangutan’s life, from myths and legends to its family tree, distribution, life history, ecology, social life, tool-making and language skills, through to its conservation and future prospects. The book is richly illustrated with lavish colour photographs throughout, to give us a true insight into the world of one of nature’s most fascinating, beautiful and best loved wild animals.