Scientists Decode Orangutan Communication Using Machine Learning

May 15, 2024
Wendy Erb
Wendy Erb has spent countless hours studying orangutans in Borneo's tropical peatland forests in order to learn how male Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) communicate. While doing so, she discovered one undeniable advantage of understanding orangutan language: When the males decide to show off their strength by uprooting nearby trees, nearby scientists need to be careful to not get smooshed.