Because they are so large, orangutans need to search for food constantly. They eat mainly fruits and leaves, and sometimes supplement their diet with bark, seeds, eggs, insects and soil. Because fruit trees are often widely dispersed orangutans do not live in large groups. In fact, they usually travel alone. They are diurnal animals, doing almost all of their activity during the day.
Males announce their presence by making long calls.
Orangutans live about 35 years in the wild and up to 50 years in captivity. Their gestation period is from eight to nine months. They have only one baby at a time who stays close to its mother for several years. Babies are weaned around age 3 and do not leave their mothers until they are about 7 years old. Unfortunately, like many wild animals, their habitats are being destroyed.