The Bornean orangutan, a critically endangered species native to the island of Borneo, occupies a specific position in the food web known as its trophic level. Orangutans are primarily frugivorous, meaning they mainly consume fruits, but their diet can also include leaves, bark, and insects. As such, they are considered to be primary consumers.
In the context of ecological classification, trophic levels are categorized as follows: primary producers (plants), primary consumers (herbivores), secondary consumers (carnivores that eat herbivores), and tertiary consumers (carnivores that eat other carnivores). Since Bornean orangutans primarily feed on plant material, they fit into the primary consumer level of the trophic pyramid, with a slight flexibility to include secondary consumer traits by consuming insects.
This unique feeding behavior not only highlights their role in the ecosystem as seed dispersers but also emphasizes the importance of their conservation to maintain the balance within their habitat, as their foraging behaviors support plant propagation and forest regeneration.