Pongo abelii
A great ape of northern Sumatra’s forest canopy. Its future depends on connected forests, regenerating trees, and safe coexistence with people.
PANDUANHEWAN · INDONESIA
Sumatran orangutan vs Tapanuli orangutan: the differences
How do the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) and Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) differ? Classification, features, range, diet, size, IUCN status and legal protection, from cited sources.
The Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) and the Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) are different species in the same genus, Pongo. Range in Indonesia — the Sumatran orangutan: Northern Sumatra; the Tapanuli orangutan: Batang Toru landscape, North Sumatra.
Pongo tapanuliensis
An orangutan species described in 2017 from Batang Toru. Its exceptionally restricted range makes protection of remaining forest especially important.
Sumatran orangutan and Tapanuli orangutan compared
| Aspect | Sumatran orangutan | Tapanuli orangutan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Pongo abelii | Pongo tapanuliensis |
| Indonesian name | Orangutan Sumatera | Orangutan Tapanuli |
| Class | Mammalia | Mammalia |
| Order | Primates | Primates |
| Family | Hominidae | Hominidae |
| Range in Indonesia | Northern Sumatra | Batang Toru landscape, North Sumatra |
| Endemic to Indonesia | Yes | Yes |
| Diet | Mainly fruit, with other plant matter and insects | — |
| Diet type | — | herbivore (plant-eater) |
| Reproduction | giving birth to live young (viviparous) | giving birth to live young (viviparous) |
| IUCN status | Critically Endangered | Critically Endangered |
| Legal protection | Protected (Regulation P.106/2018) | Protected (Regulation P.106/2018) |
Every cell comes from the sourced data on each animal’s page; an empty cell means the data is not yet available, not that it is absent.
More comparisons
Sources
- Smithsonian’s National Zoo — Orangutan biology ↗
- WWF — Sumatran orangutan ↗
- SOCP — Biodiversity monitoring, research, and surveys ↗
- SOS — Conservation challenges ↗
- Sumatran Orangutan Society — Our approach ↗
- Peraturan Menteri LHK Nomor P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 tentang Jenis Tumbuhan dan Satwa yang Dilindungi ↗
- SOCP — Who we are ↗
- Animal Diversity Web ↗
- IUCN Red List ↗
- Pongo abelii (Sumatran orangutan) - Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan ↗
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (GBIF) ↗
- University of Zurich — Third orangutan species, 2017 ↗
- SOCP — What we do ↗
- IUCN Red List ↗
- Orangutans (Pongo spp.) Fact Sheet: Summary - San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library ↗
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