This large ape moves easily through the trees. It swings from branch to branch, thanks to its very long arms. It's arms are so long that they reach the animal's ankles when it is standing up. The orangutan can climb to the top of the highest tree. On the ground, it nearly always moves on all fours, unlike the chimpanzee, which usually walks on its hind legs.

Although orangutans live a solitary life, an orangutan couple with their young can sometimes be seen together feeding on fruit, especially wild figs. Every evening, the orangutan makes a nest out of leaves. The nest looks like a soft platform and is often placed in a tall tree. To protect itself from rain and sun, the orangutan puts large leaves on its head. Someitmes it winds leaves completely around its head and neck.

Orangutans are the most silent of all apes. They grunt and smack their lips once in awhile. Occasionally, an orangutan will make a sound similar to a lion's roar, which is thought to be a way to tell other apes of its group where it is. If it is disturbed by humans, it shakes branches and makes all the noise it can.

Orangutans now live only in the tropical forests of Sumatra and Borneo, and they are becoming mor rare. In the past, they were found in China and Java. Illegal hunting and the capturing of these animals for zoos and circuses endangered their survival.