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  • Singapore Zoo
  • Animals & Zones
  • Orangutan

Orangutan

Find me in
Orangutan Island
  • Quick Facts
  • Get to Know
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  • Meet the Keeper
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Quick facts

Lifespan

Lifespan35 to 40 years in the wild and up to 60 years under human care

fruits

DietVariety of fruits, leaves, tree bark, flowers and insects

Habitat

HabitatTropical rainforests and they are arboreal, lives in trees

range

RangeParts of Borneo and Sumatra

The orangutans

Largest tree-dwelling mammals

Orangutans are apes. Unlike monkeys, they do not have a tail. Found in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra, they have special feet with long toes for grasping branches, and long limbs that can stretch out far so that they can move easily through the treetops.
Asia’s only great ape

Asia’s only great ape

Orangutans are the only great apes of Asia. A million years ago, they ranged from Java through Laos into China. Today, they are found only on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra.

Sumatran orangutans tend to have lighter coloured hair compared to Bornean orangutans. Older Sumatran orangutans have a golden beard.

Forest school

Forest school

Like humans, orangutans spend a long time raising their young. Orangutan babies stay with their mother for 7 to 8 years to learn survival skills. Play is an important way for them to learn these skills. Mothers care for their young single-handedly, the males are not involved in child-rearing.
Durian lovers

Durian lovers

Similar to many Singaporeans, orangutans love durians. In the wild, they seek out fruiting trees and can remember their location even after years have passed. Orangutans in our care enjoy durians too but only as treats. 
Low sugar diet

Low sugar diet

60% of an orangutan’s diet in the wild is made up of tropical fruit like mangosteens, rambutans and lychees. But wild fruit is much lower in sugar than cultivated fruit.

To prevent health problems like diabetes and teeth decay, our orangutans are given vegetables as their staple food. For added protein, they get a mix of pulses like green beans and barley.

Ah Meng and Her Legacy

Ah Meng was our own homegrown celebrity. She came to the Zoo at the tender age of seven and rose to stardom in the 1980s as the gracious host of our “Breakfast with Orangutan”. She became the first and only animal to be conferred the ‘Special Tourism Ambassador’ award.

Everyone who has rubbed shoulders with Ah Meng has a story to tell. When she passed on in 2008, 4,000 people turned up to pay their final respects. Ah Meng’s grand daughter Ishta has been named the new Ah Meng for her resemblance to her grandmother.

Meet the family

Binton

Binton

Seizes every chance to enjoy a piggyback ride on adult orangutans.

Labu

Labu

Has a habit of snatching food from his group members.

Satria

Satria

Often refuses to go back to his night quarters.

Suria

Suria

Enjoys the attention of his keepers.

Veera

Veera

Loves to tease other orangutans by pulling their fur.

The keeper

Zoo keeper

Jeremy Chew

Deputy Head Keeper
Zoo keeper

Jeremy Chew

Deputy Head Keeper

So, how long have you been working with the orangutans?

I’ve always worked with the orangutans, from back when I joined in 1997. In 2004, I had to stop due to a very bad traffic accident. The doctor could not give me a definite answer as to whether I could walk again. But I missed Singapore Zoo so much that I even came back in my wheelchair to visit!
Zoo keeper

Jeremy Chew

Deputy Head Keeper
I’m glad you’ve made a full recovery. When did you re-join the zoo?
Zoo keeper

Jeremy Chew

Deputy Head Keeper

I’m glad you’ve made a full recovery. When did you re-join the zoo?

I came back in 2011. My first day back at work was a bit emotional for me. Anita, one of the adult females I had taken care of from the start, took one look at me and immediately came over to hold my hand. Seven years had passed but she still remembered me. The bond was not broken.
Zoo keeper

Jeremy Chew

Deputy Head Keeper
Zoo keeper

Jeremy Chew

Deputy Head Keeper

How would you sum up your experience as a keeper?

It’s more of a lifestyle than a job. I probably spend more time with the orangutans than my wife! Having a passion for the animals makes it easier. I get satisfaction from gaining their trust and being accepted. It’s a unique work environment - where else in Singapore can I get to work with orangutans?
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Orangutan Keeper Talk

Daily Free-Ranging Orangutan Island 11:00am & 3:30pm

Learn more about our wildlife from the people who know best — the keepers. In this interactive session, hear interesting quirks of the orangutans from our keepers.

Adopt an Animal

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Ah Meng

Sumatran Orangutan

Named after her well-loved grandmother, Ah Meng is sociable and affectionate, and cares deeply for the other orang utans in her group.

She enjoys the occasional durian treat, and is observed to be very particular about cleanliness.

Together, we protect wildlife

Safety net for the species

Safety net for the species

Both the Sumatran and Bornean orangutans are critically endangered – the latter was reclassified recently, from endangered status to reflect the magnitude of threats from habitat loss and illegal hunting.

Managing orangutan populations in zoos ensures the survival of the species. It also allows members of the public to appreciate and learn more about them, and hopefully with emotional connection, comes the desire to protect these 'men of the forest’. 

The IUCN Status

CR

Critically Endangered

At extremely high risk of extinction in the wild

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is widely recognized as the most comprehensive, objective global approach for evaluating the conservation status of plant and animal species.

DD

Data Deficient

Unknown risk of extinction

LC

Least Concern

At relatively low risk of extinction

NT

Near Threatened

Likely to become vulnerable in the near future

VU

Vulnerable

At high risk of extinction in the wild

EN

Endangered

At very high risk of extinction in the wild

CR

Critically Endangered

At extremely high risk of extinction in the wild

EW

Extinct in the Wild

Survives only in captivity

EX

Extinct

No surviving individuals in the wild or in captivity

Special Experience

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Breakfast in the Wild

Daily Ah Meng Restaurant (Terrace) 9:00am – 10:30am

Start your day well with this iconic dining experience designed to inspire a love for wildlife and delight your senses!

Savour a hearty meal of local and international flavours in our charming rainforest zoo and meet our wildlife ambassadors and their keepers.

Please note that from 13–27 May 2025, the orangutans will not be appearing due to habitat upgrading works. We appreciate your understanding.

Find out more

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