Their name derives from the Malay and Indonesian phrase orang hutan, meaning "man of the forest".

At most, 20,000 orangutans still exist in the wild, which is 30 to 50 percent fewer than were estimated 10 years ago. Once ranging throughout Southeast Asia, the species now occupies only small pockets of habitat on the Southeast Asian islands of Borneo and Sumatra. While their future is tied to their habitat, putting their fate primarily in the hands of the Indonesian and Malaysian people whose land they share, it also depends on the global economics that drive the timber market, as well as the worldwide market for illegal pets.

If you are interested in learning more about Orangutans visit this website where it is possible to help the cause by sponsoring an individual orangutan and watching its progress from halfway around the world via the Internet.**

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http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/orangutans/redape.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orangutan