Orangutan Mother Feeds On Dead Slow Loris As Infant Watches Closely

A young Sumatran orangutan watches closely as its mother feeds on a dead slow loris, offering a striking glimpse of how young orangutans observe and learn from others in the wild.

The scene comes as researchers spent eight years studying social and individual learning among wild Sumatran orangutans. The study followed 21 immature orangutans and recorded more than 6,700 instances of behavior.

Researchers found that social learning occurred five times more often than individual learning. Young orangutans that watched others were influenced in their later exploration, with the effects lasting up to about 145 minutes.

The researchers also recorded 303 food items among 13 immature orangutans. Those that combined high levels of social and individual learning developed broader diet profiles by the time they became independent.

The findings suggest that social learning can help young orangutans compensate when they have fewer opportunities to learn through individual exploration, helping them build the skills needed for independent survival.