Orangutans are primarily arboreal, climbing in the tree tops in a careful and deliberate manner using a any combination of their hands and feet as support, a movement system known as clamboring (Anbel-Simons 2000; Nowak 1999).

Orangutans also spend some time out of the trees on the ground. When traveling on the ground quadripedally, they place their weight on the outside of inwardly turned fists, a type of walking known as “fist walking” (Anbel-Simons 2000; Kaplan & Rogers 1994; Nowak 1999).

There have been several of examples of orangutans using erect postures while walking or standing in captive environment as well as in semi-wild rehabilitant individuals. This is assumed to be a result of imitating human caregivers (Kaplan & Rogers 1994).

The daily movements of orangutans are typically based on the availability of food. Orangutans will travel between 200 and 1000 m a day in search of food. Activity will peak in the morning and late afternoon with rest periods during the middle of the day (Nowak 1999).