Orangutans are large apes native to the rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia. They are well known for their reddish-orange fur, which gives them their name – “orangutan” means “person of the forest” in the Malay language. However, while orangutans are typically depicted as orange in popular media, their actual fur color can range from reddish-orange to brownish-gray. So are orangutans really orange, or are they actually brown? In this article, we will examine the range of orangutan fur colors, what influences their hue, and why their depiction as “orange apes” is not entirely accurate.
Natural Fur Colors
Orangutans are divided into two species based on their geographic distribution – Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) and Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii). The fur color of wild orangutans can vary within each species:
| Species | Fur Color Range |
|---|---|
| Bornean Orangutan | Reddish-brown to grayish-brown |
| Sumatran Orangutan | Reddish-orange to yellowish-brown |
As the table shows, Sumatran orangutans tend to have more reddish-orange fur than their Bornean counterparts, whose fur is often described as brown. However, there is considerable variation within each population.
The hue of orangutan pelage is influenced by several factors:
– Genetics – Some natural variation in fur color occurs due to genetic differences between individuals. Sumatran orangutans exhibit more alleles for red pigmentation.
– Age – Infant and juvenile orangutans tend to be lighter in color. Fur darkens as individuals mature. Older apes often appear brownish-gray.
– Environment – Soil, rainfall, and sun exposure impacts fur color over an orangutan’s lifetime. Increased UV radiation and iron oxide soil causes more ruddiness.
– Health – Illness and malnutrition can make fur appear faded or discolored.
Thus, natural orangutan fur encompasses a spectrum from orange to brown. Pure orange coloration is rare in the wild.
Captive Orangutans
Many people’s perceptions of orangutan color are influenced by observing captive specimens. Orangutans in zoos and wildlife centers often have striking reddish-orange fur for several reasons:
– Selective breeding – Breeders favor pairings that produce offspring with more vibrant orange tones.
– Diet – Abundant provision of fruits and vegetables enhances skin and coat health.
– Lighting – Artificial UV lighting encourages production of red pigments.
– Backgrounds – Placing orangutans in front of painted jungle motifs makes their fur appear more intense.
There are also treatments to artificially color orangutan fur orange. So while most captive orangutans are not truly orange in their natural state, factors in captivity can make them appear more saturated. This has shaped public perceptions.
| Origin | Typical Fur Color |
|---|---|
| Wild | Brownish-gray to reddish-brown |
| Captive | Reddish-orange |
Function of Fur Color
An orangutan’s reddish fur color likely evolved not for camouflage, but as a social signal. Both Bornean and Sumatran orangutans inhabit dense rainforests with dark green foliage, where brownish fur blends in better. However, adult male orangutans develop large cheek pads called flanges. Dark fur contrasting with these reddish-hued flanges may help advertise an individual’s maturity and dominance to rivals or potential mates. This advertisement could be disrupted if their fur was too light or too dark.
Reddish fur may also make infant orangutans highly visible to their mothers, an advantage for a strictly arboreal ape navigating the treetops. But while these sociosexual factors favor orangey hues, sufficient variation in color persists in wild populations, suggesting a balance of selective pressures is at play.
Conclusion
In summary, depicting orangutans uniformly as orange or red is not accurate. Their natural fur coloration encompasses a wide range of brownish-grays through orangey-reds. Pure orange appears only rarely in the wild, and more commonly in captivity due to selective breeding, diet, and lighting. However, while not all orangutans are orange per se, they do tend toward ruddier shades compared to other great apes. This likely evolved to facilitate social signaling, not camouflage. So calling them “orange apes” contains some truth, but the reality is more complex – wild orangutans exhibit an intriguing palette of brown and orange, befitting their life in the rainforest canopy.
