Skip to main content

The Orangutan: A Social Outsider

A Socio-Ecological Test Case

  • Chapter

Abstract

At first sight, the orangutan may well be the least spectacular of the great apes. In comparison with its African cousins, this solitary creature seems to lead a far less exciting life. Superficially, its social organization is exceptional in comparison with that of other diurnal primates. It is precisely this exceptional characteristic which makes the red ape an interesting test case for socio-ecological theorizing.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Alexander, R.D., Hoogland, J.L., Howard, R.D., Noonan, K.M. and Sherman, P.W., 1979, Sexual dimorphisms and breeding systems in pinnipeds, ungulates, primates and humans. In Evolutionary Biology and Human Social Behaviour: An Anthropological Perspective (Ed. N.A. Chagnon and W.A. Irons), Belmont Wadsworth, 402-603.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bearder, S.K., 1987, Lorises, bushbabies, and tarsiers: diverse societies in solitary foragers. In Primate Societies (Eds. B.B. Smuts, D.L. Cheney, R.M. Seyfarth, R.W. Wrangham and T.T. Struhsaker). Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 11–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boekhorst, U.A. te, Schürmann, C.L. and Sugardjito, J., 1990, Residential status and seasonal movements of wild orang-utans in the Gunung Leuser Reserve (Sumatra, Indonesia). Anim. Behav. 39:1098–1109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brandes, G., 1929, Die Backenwulste des Orang-mannes. Zool. Gart. (N.E) 1: 365–368.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brandes, G., 1931, Das Wachstum der Menschenaffen im Vergleich zu dem des Menschen in Kurven dargestellt. Zool. Gart. (N.F.) 4:339–347.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunbar, R.I.M., 1988, Primate Social Systems. London: Croom Helm.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Galdikas, B.M.F., 1979, Orangutan adaptation at Tanjung Puting Reserve: mating and ecology. In: The Great Apes. (Eds.: D.A. Hamburg and E.R. McCown). New York, Academic Press, 195–233.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galdikas, B.M.F., 1985, Subadult male orangutan sociality and reproductive behavior at Tanjung Puting. Am. J. Primatol. 8:87–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harcourt, A.H., Harvey, P.H., Larson, S.G. and Short, R.V., 1981, Testis weight, body weight, and breeding system in primates. Nature 293:55–57.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hoir, D.A., 1975, The Borneo orang-utan: Population structure and dynamics in relationship to ecology and reproductive strategy. In: Primate Behavior: Developments in Field and Laboratory Research 4 (Ed. L.A. Rosenblum), New York, Academic Press, 307–323.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, M.L., 1976, Fact sheet on Orang Utans in captivity (Pongo pygmaeus). Am. Assoc. Zool. Parks Aquar. Newsl., 14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kingsley S., 1982, Causes of non-breeding and the development of secondary sexual characteristics in the male orang utan: a hormonal study. In: The Orang Utan, Its Biology and Conservation. (Ed. L.E.M. de Boer), den Haag, Junk, 215-229.

    Google Scholar 

  • MacKinnon, J., 1974, The behaviour and ecology of wild orang utans (Pongo pygmaeus abelii). Anim. Behav. 22:3–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacKinnon, J., 1979, Reproductive behaviour in wild orangutan populations. In: The Great Apes (Eds. D.A. Hamburg and E.R. McCown), Menlo Park, Benjamin/Cummings, 256–273.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitani, J.C., 1985a, Sexual selection and adult male orang utan long calls. Amm. Behav. 33:272–283.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitani, J.C., 1985b, Mating behaviour of male orang utans in the Kutai Game Reserve, Indonesia. Anim. Behav. 33:922–402.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitrasetia, T. and S. Utami, 1994, Male dominance in orangutan (Pongopygmaeus) society. Abstr. XVth Congr. Int. Primatol. Soc, Bali, Indonesia

    Google Scholar 

  • Moller, A.P., 1988, Ejaculate quality, testes size and sperm competition in primates. J. Hum. Evol. 17:479–488.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nadler, R.D. (1982) Reproductive behavior and endocrinology of orang utans. Pp. 231–248 in The Orang Utan. Its Biology and Conservation. L.E.M. de Boer, ed. The Hague, Dr. W. Junk Publ.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nadler, R.D. (1988) Sexual and reproductive behavior. Pp. 105–116 in Orang-utan Biology. J.H. Schwartz, ed. New York, Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nadler, R.D. (1995) Sexual behavior of orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus): basic and applied implications (this volume).

    Google Scholar 

  • Noe, R., van Schaik, C.P. and van Hooff, J.A.R.A.M., 1991, The market effect, an explanation for pay-off asymmetries among collaborating animals. Ethology 87:97–118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Noe, R. and Hammerstein, P., 1994, Biological markets: supply and demand determine the effect of partner choice in cooperation, mutualism and mating. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol., in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rijksen, H.D., 1978, A Field Study of Sumatran Orang Utans (Pongopygmaeus abelii, Lesson 1827), Ecology, Behaviour and Conservation, 78–2. Wageningen, H. Veenman and Zonen B.V.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodman, P.S., 1973, Population composition and adaptive organization among orang-utans of the Kutai Reserve. In: Comparative Ecology and Behaviour of Primates (Eds. R.R Michael and J.H. Crook), London, Academic Press, 171–209.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodman, P.S., 1979, Individual activity patterns and the solitary nature of orangutans. In: The Great Apes (Eds. D.A. Hamburg and E.R. McCown. Menlo Park, Benjamin/Cummings, 234–255.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodman, P.S. and Mitani, J.C., 1987, Orang-utans: sexual dimorphism in a solitary species. In: Primate Societies (Eds. B.B. Smuts, D.L. Cheney, R.M. Seyfarth, R.W. Wrangham and T.T. Struhsaker). Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 146–154.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schürmann, C.L., 1982, Mating behaviour of wild orangutans. In: The Orang utan: Its Biology and Conservation (Ed. L. de Boer), Den Haag, Junk, 271–286.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schürmann, C.L. and van Hooff, J.A.R.A.M., 1986, Reproductive strategies of the orang-utan: new data and a reconsideration of existing socio-sexual models. Int. J. Primatol. 7:265–287.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seitz, A., 1969, Notes on the body weights of new-born and young orang-utans. Int. Zoo Yb. 9:81–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smuts, B.B., 1985, Sex and Friendship in Baboons (Ed. Hawthorne). Aldine, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smuts, B.B., 1987, Sexual competition and mate choice. In: Primate Societies (Ed. B.B. Smuts, D.L. Cheney, R.M. Seyfarth, R.W. Wrangham and T.T. Struhsaker), Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 385–399.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smuts, B.B. and Smuts, R.W., 1993, Male aggression and sexual coercion of females in nonhuman primates and other mammals: evidence and theoretical implications. Adv. Study Behav. 22:1–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sugardjito, J., te Boekhorst, U.A. and van Hooff, J.A.R.A.M., 1987, Ecological constraints on the grouping of wild orang-utans (Pongo pygmaeus) in the Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia. Int. J. Primatol 8:17–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suzuki, A., 1989, Socio-ecological studies of orangutans and primates in Kutai National Park, East Kalimantan in 1988-1989. Kyoto Univ. Overseas Res. Rep. of Studies on Asian Nonhuman Primates, 7:1–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Utami, S. and Mitra Setia, T., 1995, (this volume).

    Google Scholar 

  • van Hooff, J.A.R.A.M., 1988, Sociality in primates: a compromise of ecological and social adaptation strategies. In Perspectives in the Study of Primates (Ed. A. Tartabini and M.L. Genta), DeRose, Cosenza, 9–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Hooff, J.A.R.A.M., 1992, Competing for progeny: the socioecology of primate mating systems. In: Sex Matters, (Eds.: W. Bezemer, P. Cohen-Kettenis, K. Slob and N. van Son-Schoones), Amsterdam, Elsevier Science Publ., 93–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Hooff, J.A.R.A.M. and C.P. van Schaik, 1992, Cooperation in competition: the ecology of primate bonds. In: Coalitions and Alliances in Humans and Other Animals. (Eds.: S. Harcourt and F.B.M. de Waal), Oxford, Oxford Univ. Press, 357–390.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Hooff, J.A.R.A.M. and C.P. van Schaik, 1995, Male Bonds: Afilliative relationships among nonhuman primate males. Behaviour 130: 309–338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Schaik, C.P., 1983, Why are diurnal primates living in groups? Behaviour 87:120–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Schaik, C.P., 1989, The ecology of social relationships amongst female primates. In: Comparative Socioecology, the Behavioural Ecology of Humans and Other Mammals (Ed. V. Standen and G.R. A. Foley). Oxford, Blackwell Scientific Publications, 195–218.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Schaik, C.P. and van Hooff, J.A.R.A.M., 1983, On the ultimate causes of primate social systems. Behaviour 85:91–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Schaik, C.P. and Dunbar, R. I. M., 1990, The evolution of monogamy in large primates: a new hypothesis and some crucial tests. Behaviour 115:30–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Schaik, C.P. and van Noordwijk, M. A., 1988, Scramble and contest among female long-tailed macaques in a Sumatran rain forest. Behaviour 105: 77–98.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wrangham, R.W., 1979, On the evolution of ape social systems. Soc. Sci. Inform. 18: 335–368.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wrangham, R.W., 1980, An ecological model of female-bonded primate groups. Behaviour 75:262–300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wrangham, R.W., 1987, Evolution of social structure. In: Primate Societies (Ed. B.B. Smuts, D.L. Cheney, R.M. Seyfarth, R.W. Wrangham and T.T. Struhsaker), Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 282–296.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1995 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

van Hooff, J.A.R.A.M. (1995). The Orangutan: A Social Outsider. In: Nadler, R.D., Galdikas, B.F.M., Sheeran, L.K., Rosen, N. (eds) The Neglected Ape. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1091-2_16

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1091-2_16

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-1093-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-1091-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics