Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Orangutan and its natural habitat
Mains level: NA
Why in the news?
An orangutan was observed treating a wound with medicine from a tropical plant, showcasing how some animals employ natural remedies to alleviate their ailments.
- This behavior, documented in a recent study published in Scientific Reports, represents a novel instance of self-medication among wild animals.
About Orangutans
- Orangutans, are distinguished by their vivid red fur, are the largest arboreal mammals and spend the majority of their time in trees and forests.
- The name “orangutan” translates to “man of the forest” in Malay.
- They possess long, powerful arms and grasping hands and feet that facilitate movement through the branches.
- Highly intelligent, these great apes share 96.4% of genetic makeup of modern man.
- Orangutans primarily inhabit the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia, specifically on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra.
- Conservation Status: Critically Endangered (IUCN Red list)
- Population: Bornean (Approximately 104,700); Sumatran (Approximately 13,846); Tapanuli (Around 800);
- Behavioral Features:
- These apes lead mostly solitary lives in the lowland forests, dining on wild fruits such as lychees, mangosteens, and figs, and drinking water collected in tree cavities.
- Orangutans are mainly frugivorous, they primarily eat fruits, and consume leaves, bark, insects, and occasionally small animals.
- They construct nests in trees with vegetation for sleeping at night and resting during the day.
- And, now they are found treating a wound with medicine from a Tropical plant.
PYQ:[2013] Consider the following:
Which of the above are naturally found in India? (a) 1, 2 and 3 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 4 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 and 4 |
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
