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Hey Orangutan people

Discussion in 'General Zoo Discussion' started by zooman, 20 Dec 2008.

  1. zooman

    zooman Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Hi would be very interested to hear if the orang people here. Agree with this.

    I seem to remmber a few years back when they figured out there were two sepcies Sumatra and Borneo. All the zoos were getting them tested and finding out many were mixed.


    Is this correct?

    Two species and at least 3 sub species



    * Pongo abelii live on Sumatra

    * Pongo pygmaeus on Borneo

    The Borneo orangutan, Pongo pygmaeus is comprised of three sub-species:

    * Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus lives in West Kalimantan,

    * Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii in Central Kalimantan,

    and

    * Pongo pygmaeus morio live in East Kalimantan.
     
  2. zooman

    zooman Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Anyone care to also point out. What makes a seperate species? Compared to a sub species?
     
  3. bongorob

    bongorob Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    I'm no taxonomist but a species is a group of individuals which will produce viable and fertile young when bred together.

    A subspecies is just a genetically different population of a full species that has been isolated from other populations of the species, normalyy by natural barriers such as mountains and rivers. Subspecies can produce viable fertile young with member sof their own subspecies, and also with members of another subspecies within the species.