[Press Release] Orangutans breastfeed their young for six and a half years, the longest among mammals
Mother and infant wild Bornean orangutans
Hellen and Lucy watch researchers from a higher canopy. Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia.
(Credit: Takumi Tsutaya, License type: CC BY)
Release Summary
An international team of researchers from Japan and Malaysia has shown that wild orangutan juveniles continue to consume their mother’s milk continuously until at least six and a half years of age, the longest breastfeeding period known among mammals. Using a new technique called fecal proteomics, the team detected milk-specific proteins in the feces of wild Bornean orangutans in Malaysian Borneo. The study also suggests that prolonged breastfeeding supports intestinal defenses and a healthy gut microbiome, helping sustain orangutans’ slow reproductive rates and lower juvenile mortality.
