They Learn Everything They Need To Know From Their Mother

The relationship between orangutan mothers and their young in Sumatra, Indonesia, was examined in a recent study conducted by the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Konstanz, Germany. Researchers discovered that orangutan moms assist their young in learning by adapting their behavior when they are out foraging to fit their age and capabilities. This study, according to the researchers, provided the first concrete proof yet that orangutan moms actively participate in their young orangutans' acquisition of new skills.

Over 200 different foods, many of which need to be prepared in multiple phases before consumption, must be recognized and processed by orangutans during their early development. For instance, while the majority of flowers and leaves can be consumed raw, the nutritional portions of bark must first be removed off the tree and scraped with teeth. Even the use of equipment like sticks is necessary to consume the most challenging meals, such as honey from bee colonies. The researchers claim that young orangutans pick up these sophisticated skills by watching their moms eat.

Orangutans in their early years remain with their mother until they are about 7 years old. Infants are so devoted to their mothers that they sleep in her nest and ride on her until they learn how to survive independently. Orangutans only give birth to the young once every 7 to 9 years, which is the longest birth interval of any terrestrial mammal, because of their steep learning curve.