# What Do Orangutans Eat?

> Orangutans eat mostly fruit and figs, plus leaves, bark and insects. Three Critically Endangered species on Borneo and Sumatra.

- **Species:** Orangutan (*Pongo pygmaeus*)
- **Conservation status:** Critically Endangered
- **Diet:** Omnivore (mostly fruit)
- **Habitat:** Tropical rainforest canopy
- **Lifespan:** 35–45 years in the wild
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/orangutan/what-do-orangutan-eat/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/orangutan/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

Orangutans are large, intelligent great apes that live in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra, the only great apes found in Asia. They spend most of their lives in the trees, swinging through the canopy with long, powerful arms that can span over 2 m (7 ft), and they feed mainly on fruit. Known for their reddish hair and tool use, orangutans are critically endangered, with populations falling sharply due to deforestation. In the wild they can live 35 to 45 years.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a captive feeding plan from a veterinarian. This page is wild diet, not a pet-care sheet.

## Behavior and intelligence

Orangutans are among the most intelligent animals, capable of using and even making simple tools, such as sticks to extract insects or leaves used as umbrellas and gloves. They are largely solitary compared with other great apes, with adult males living alone and females accompanied only by their offspring. They build a fresh nest of branches and leaves high in the trees to sleep each night. Their name comes from Malay words meaning "person of the forest."

## Help protect the Orangutan

All three orangutan species are Critically Endangered. Rescue, forest-school rehabilitation and soft-release still need funding in Borneo and Sumatra — including East Kalimantan forest school.

[Donate to orangutan rescue](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/appeals/orangutans/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/orangutan/what-do-orangutan-eat/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.