their culture; the way of living.

an international team of scientists found evidence that orangutan groups differ in everything from bedtime rituals to eating habits to sexual practices - patterns of behavior, passed from generation to generation, that scientists call culture.

they live just like we do. say if you are Chinese, you eat using chopsticks and if you are Malay, you eat using your hands. while some people kiss as they greet each other, other people only shake hands, and the same concept is applied in Orang-Utans' culture. blimey, never thought they even have one!

*** in some particular place, Orang-Utans cheer before they go to sleep, but in other parts of the jungle, they dont.

*** And while in two forests, orangutans enjoyed masturbation using sticks, elsewhere such behavior was unheard of.

the researchers say it is probably because of the differences in their forest habitat and there is no evidence of genetic variation what-so-ever, so all of us can stop hoping that we might see the famous evolution takes place in our century.

In addition, at sites where orangutans spent more time together there were more of these widespread behaviors, as would be expected with behaviors that can be spread through association. so, the closer sites were to one another, the more behaviors those sites shared, again as would be expected. just like what you can see in some human tendency depending on the neighborhood they live in. examples, the difference between Lembah Keramat and Taman Melawati eh?

maybe these Orang-Utans even have a community chief or something?

learn Orang-utans language.

* palms up= aggression or attack mode.

* shakes its body and makes motions like throwing sticks= not happy and that you should stay away.

* looks like it is smiling and shows its teeth= aggressive and is not happy to see you. dont be fooled!

* Only impolite orangutans look another orangutan in the eye. If one orangutan does not know another it should never look directly in the others eyes. If the eye contact is too long it may be another form of showing aggression. So, if you come across an orangutan make sure you look at him out of the corner of your eye.

* puts a leaf or flower in its mouth (but doesn’t eat it) and looks at anoher orangutan, it could mean they like them. awh, what could be sweeter?

* Orangutans show interest in one another by looking at each other out of the corner of their eyes, quickly passing a hand over their head and making a high pitched sound. The other orangutan knows exactly what is meant and can respond to this interest if it wants to. but a human wouldn't, though, so you better don't try!

* To show close friendship two orangutans will greet each other by gently placing their finger in the others eye. This shows complete trust in each other and says “I love you” between orangutans. ahh, how Orang-Utans really have the feelings we do. why dont you start practicing it with your besties?

* Orangutans have many of the same facial expressions as we do.

* There are many other ways of communication an orangutan uses that involve the whole body such as stretching, jumping, arching back, lip smacking, hair bristling, waving head, shaking moving or raising of the arms and hands, and thrashing on their chest.

Only males perform the long-call. It is an advertisement to any females around that he is here and interested in having company from the ladies. At the same time it is a warning to males that they should stay away if they know what is best for them. It may even suppress adolescent males from developing sexual characteristics resulting in the unflagging appearance. Unless another male feels ready for the challenge they flee from the sound of long-calls. While at the same time interested ladies use it as a tracking device for flanged males and respond accordingly.

Too bad not every baby orangutan in the world has the same feeling as this little one did when this picture was taken.

Amazingly like us.

1. Baby orangutans cry when they’re hungry, whimper when they’re hurt and smile at their mothers.

2. In their true habitat, male orangutans live alone and females live alone or with their infants.

3. An orangutan arms can have a reach of more than 8 feet! How tall are you? Probably not 8 feet or higher. So, an orangutan can have a reach of a length longer than you are tall!

4. Legend says that orangutans can speak but choose not to because they fear they would be forced to work if were they ever caught talking.

5. Most orangutans build a nest every night high up in a tree and sometimes even add a roof of leaves. architecture huh?

6. When it rains or the sun is hot an orangutan will hold a leafy branch or two over its head to protect itself from getting wet or overheated.

7. Mosquitoes bother orangutans just like they do humans and they will use branches like fly swatters to swish them away.

8. They will poke twigs into holes to catch insects, chew up leaves and use them as sponges and use branches and sticks to test the depth of water before entering it.

9. Generally, males are not successful in attracting sexually receptive females until they get their cheek pads. Thus, as sub-adults, the males frequently resort to "forceful copulation."

10. The female orangutan’s menstrual cycle is 29 to 32 days, with menstruation lasting three to four days.

11. While females stay near their mothers’ home ranges, males emigrate long distances. This helps minimize inbreeding within populations.

12. orangutans have been observed making simple tools to scratch themselves.

13. The male orangutan’s call plays an important role in repelling male rivals and advertising his availability to sexually receptive females, helping him to compete aggressively with other adult males. Thus, mature male orangutans appear to be intolerant of each other, and the meeting of two mature males usually results in either aggression or avoidance.

15. According to research, many practices by Orang-utans are learned from other group members and passed down through the generations.

16. In parts of Borneo, for example, orangutans use handfuls of leaves as napkins, wiping leftover food from their chins.

17. Orangutans in parts of Sumatra, conversely, use leaves as gloves, helping them handle spiny fruits and branches, or as seat cushions in spiny trees.

Welcome Speech by Suri

Hello, my name is Suri. I’m a female Orang-Utan, obviously from my name. I’m about 15 years old, and haven’t seen my parents for a couple of years. God knows what your kind has done to them, bless them. I’ve told that Orang-Utans only live in Borneo and Sumatran these days, so I’ve thought on searching my mother but it was to no avail. Moreover there isn’t much left of a jungle out there, is there?

Some elders of Orang-Utans small community had told me some history of our kind. Long ago, a sailor by the name Andrew Battel claimed he saw two monsters, which well, were actually my ancestors. He named them Pongo and Engeco, and those were one of the first names given to us, besides our traditional current name which offers you many way to pronounce it. For instance orang-outang, by the English men.

Since I was born in Borneo, so my whole lot is covered in black hair, unlike those Orang-Utans in Sumatran which have lighter coat on them. Thus I hope you can differentiate us from this moment onwards, or it would be such a shame not to recognize your own national Orang-Utans, wouldn’t it? Apart from that, my lot and Sumatran’s lot are just the same in looks and manners. We have big body, thick neck and arms as twice as our bowed legs. And if you are looking at an ape with a tail, its definitely not us, pals!

The male Orang-Utans have cheek flaps which get larger as they get older. The boys use the flaps to compare who is more ‘powerful’ among them, and they also use the flaps as a signal to the females that they are ready to mate. While for the female, we reach puberty at 12, so you can guess that I already have experience with the proud male flapping their face, and I even gave birth to my baby boy, Atan (in the picture above). Unlike you humans, I don’t get to live with my child forever, they will leave me after 6/7 years, it’s only natural.

i still keep the picture of Atan's father, you know.

At last our dignity is brought to a slightly higher level when Orang-Utans are remarked as the world's most intelligent animal other than humans, with higher learning and problem solving ability. On your face chimpanzees! Haaha.

* We can make rain hats and leak proof roofs over our nest out of leaves in case it rains cats and dogs, cool huh? We ensure our family has the best cozy home there is.

* Adults like me would teach youngsters like Atan here on how to make tools and find food! We give children good education on surviving skills, but I’m not sure if the next generation would ever learn more or make new discoveries, seeing what is happening to my species eh? If given a chance we might be even more developed than you human, who knows?

* Our two representatives succeeded in learning 40 signs and linguistic skills taught by those nerds at the lab within two years. If only we were given such chance more often.

* And our distance relatives, Sumatran Orang-Utans get the chance to play games via the touch screen computer at Zoo Atlanta! How jealous Atan is! I have to tell him that this country isn’t that rich to give us all the games, but the boy can smell the truth.

* as for me, the ordinary Orang-Utan who is yet to be discovered for any unusual talent, i row boat if it is necessary, and I even eat using cutlery. What did you expect? A bunch of Orang-Utans eating using mainly our fingers?

Those are only some examples of why we ranked as second most intelligent species on the earth. People, there are lot to be learn from my kind, but why are you being so ignorant and cruel? It is because of your selfishness for your own profitable activities and for your development’s sake, that we have to face threats in our own home? Did you know that now our numbers are less than 14 percent of what it was in the recent past? And did I mention that each time your school bell rings, an Orang-utan had just died? I wonder which ringing of the bell will mark the end of my life and Atan’s, too.

Remember people, it is just your luck and fate that you were not the one who would have to feel this way.

Help us.

Truthfully,

Suri.