Orangutan: History, myth, oblivion.
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THE SARAWAK MUSEUM JOURNAL |
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Title :
Orangutan: History, myth, oblivion. |
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Author :
A. Baer |
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Abstract:
The orangutan’s fossil record is outstanding among Asian primates. Orangutan ancestors appeared some 10 million years ago (MYA). DNA studies show orangutans evolved in Asia by 1 or 2 MYA, and the Sumatra and Borneo species separated at least 1 MYA. Orangutans survived the upheavals of the Pleistocene age, spreading from the mainland to islands on the Sunda Shelf. Populations in Borneo diverged genetically over 800,000 years ago. When modern humans came on the scene some 50,000 years ago, they became the main predator of orangutans, especially when human populations and forest destruction soared. Europeans took an early toll with guns and trade in exotic animals for zoos, science, and amusement, but Asians soon did likewise. As a result, orangutan numbers have declined by 90% since 1900, largely due to forest loss. While free-ranging orangutans seem doomed to extinction, one counter-indication is the taboo on hunting or eating orangutans observed by Muslims and some forest groups, such as Iban. Orangutans also personify supernatural beings in some indigenous cultures and are thus important in spiritual beliefs. Without orangutans and their forests, the fullness of these cultures will be lost forever.
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| DOI: XXXX |
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How to cite:
A. Baer. (2008). Orangutan: History, myth, oblivion. The Sarawak Museum Journal, LXV (86): 339 |
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References
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