Orangutans Breastfeed for Six and a Half Years, the Longest Among Mammals

Orangutans breastfeed for six and a half years, the longest among mammals

Orangutans have one of the slowest life histories among mammals, and a new study now shows just how long orangutan mothers continue to breastfeed their offspring. An international team has demonstrated that wild orangutan juveniles keep consuming their mother's milk continuously until at least six and a half years of age, confirming one of the longest breastfeeding periods known among mammals.

Orangutans Nurse Their Young for Six and a Half Years, the Longest

Orangutans, renowned for their intelligence and arboreal lifestyles, are also distinguished by one of the slowest developmental paces among mammals. A groundbreaking study published in Communications Biology now offers unprecedented insight into the extent of maternal investment in these great apes, revealing that orangutan juveniles continue to nurse for at least six and a half years. This finding marks one of the lengthiest documented breastfe…