Orangutans access food by hanging from branches that are too small and unstable in the treetops. What is your secret to avoid falling to the ground? Studied movement and sway patterns , according to new research by Susannah Thorpe and published today in the journal PNAS .
Studying these primates in Sumatra, Thorpe has found that, when traveling from one branch to another, orangutans move slowly, alternating vertical and horizontal postures and simultaneously grasping several branches with their hands and feet. Specifically, scientists have calculated that for at least 29% of the time they spend in the heights , orangutans hang on to more than four branches at the same time. These habits differ from those found in other arboreal animals, and allow them to move their large bodies despite the flexibility of the branches they use to move around.
The conclusions of the study will help define the habitat requirements of the orangutans, something fundamental for the conservation programs of the species. The latest data suggest that, if the current situation continues, the orangutan will be "genetically dead" (that is, there will not be enough specimens left for the species to be viable) within ten years.
