Identification of food type and feeding behavior of sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii) at the Ketambe Research Station in Gunung Leuser National Park

Abstract

As an endangered animal, sumatran orangutans ( Pongo abelii ) in Indonesia are declining rapidly. The extinction of food sources that formerly supported their diets is one of the factors that has contributed to this predicament. This paper aims to discover sumatran orangutans’ food types and feeding behaviors at the Ketambe Research Station, Aceh Province, Indonesia. Two orangutans, Chris and Kelly, were the subjects of this study, and their behavior and environment were observed and recorded using the focal animal sampling approach. The study uncovered 29 distinct forms of food (27 plant species and 2 insect species). The type of fruit most consumed by sumatran orangutans ( Pongo abelii ) at the Ketambe Research Station is Ficus racemosa, followed by Ficus obscura, Pandanus sp., and Ficus variegata. The type of leaf most consumed by sumatran orangutans ( Pongo abelii ) is Loides cirrosa, followed by Acacia pennata and Sindapsus hederaceus. Then, their eating behavior patterns cover choosing, holding, taking, and eating the food. The orangutans like eating their meal high up in a tree. As they lead semi-solitary, arboreal lifestyles, preserving the forest ecosystems in which they thrive is crucial.