Head to head
Tapanuli Orangutan vs Sumatran Orangutan
Tapanuli Orangutan
VS Sumatran Orangutan
The Tapanuli orangutan and Sumatran orangutan both live on the island of Sumatra and are both Critically Endangered, but one has fewer than a thousand animals and was only recognised as a species in 2017.
| Tapanuli Orangutan | Sumatran Orangutan | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Pongo tapanuliensis | Pongo abelii |
| Recognition | Described as a new species in 2017, the first new great ape species recognised in nearly a century | Not specifically documented |
| Range | Montane and lowland rainforest in the Batang Toru area of North Sumatra | Rainforest in a limited part of northern Sumatra |
| Population | Fewer than a thousand animals | Roughly 14,000 animals |
| Diet | Mainly fruit, along with leaves, flowers, bark, and insects | Mainly fruit, along with leaves, bark, insects, and occasionally small vertebrates |
| Reproduction | Not specifically documented | Waits close to nine years between births, the longest birth interval of any land mammal |
| Threats | Clearing of forest, hunting, and proposed development in its small range | Clearing and burning of lowland rainforest, primarily for oil palm |
| Conservation status | Critically Endangered, with a decreasing population | Critically Endangered, with a decreasing population |
Tapanuli Orangutan vs Sumatran Orangutan: common questions
Which orangutan was described in 2017?
The Tapanuli orangutan, the first new great ape species to be recognised in nearly a century.
How many Tapanuli and Sumatran orangutans are left?
Fewer than a thousand Tapanuli orangutans remain, while roughly 14,000 Sumatran orangutans are left.
Where do the Tapanuli and Sumatran orangutans live?
The Tapanuli orangutan lives only in the Batang Toru forests of North Sumatra, while the Sumatran orangutan lives across a limited part of northern Sumatra.