KUCHING: An adult female orangutan and her male infant have been rescued from Indonesia’s West Kalimantan after advancing forest and peatland fires left the pair trapped in a shrinking patch of habitat with no safe route to escape.
In a statement, the West Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) said the mother and infant were evacuated on Thursday (Sept 3) from Desa Sungai Awan Kiri in Ketapang after fires spread closer to the remaining forest where they had been sheltering.
The pair had been monitored since mid-June in a community-owned plantation bordering a small forest fragment, where they were still able to move within the remaining habitat.
However, as the fires intensified, the surrounding forest became increasingly isolated and no longer provided a safe corridor for them to move away from the advancing flames and thick smoke.
A joint team from BKSDA and the Foundation for International Animal Rescue Indonesia (YIARI) arrived at about 6.30am to carry out the rescue, assisted by YIARI veterinarians.
The mother, estimated to be about 20 years old, was safely sedated before being lifted to safety using a rescue net while her infant remained by her side throughout the operation.
Initial examinations found no physical injuries or burn wounds on the mother. She was provided with oxygen during recovery before both orangutans were transported to YIARI’s Orangutan Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Sungai Awan Kiri.
The male infant, believed to be less than one year old, remained active during the examination. Veterinarians, however, observed mucus and dried nasal discharge around his nose, which they said could be associated with prolonged exposure to wildfire smoke.
YIARI veterinarian Dr Komara said neither orangutan showed signs of injuries caused by the fires, but the effects of smoke exposure would continue to be closely monitored.
“Prolonged exposure to smoke can affect an orangutan’s respiratory system, particularly when smoke concentrations in its habitat are very high. The health of both orangutans will continue to be monitored while they remain at the rescue and rehabilitation centre,” he said.
The mother and infant will remain under veterinary observation while authorities continue monitoring wildfire conditions around their original habitat before assessing whether they can be safely returned to the wild.
The latest rescue underscores the mounting pressure forest and peatland fires are placing on orangutans in West Kalimantan. In less than a month, BKSDA and YIARI have rescued at least nine orangutans threatened by the fires in Ketapang alone.
YIARI Operational Programme director Argitoe Ranting described the situation as increasingly alarming as fires continue to spread into orangutan habitat and feeding grounds.
“In less than a month, we have had to rescue nine orangutans because of the wildfire threat. The fires are not only destroying forests but also leaving wildlife without shelter and food. When their habitat is surrounded by flames, they have very few places left to go,” he said.
The rescue also reflects a broader response to the wildfire crisis across Borneo. On Sept 2, another mother orangutan, Raya, and her daughter, Rayu, were rescued from forest and land fire hotspots in East Kotawaringin, Central Kalimantan, in an operation involving the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), the Indonesian military and Orangutan Foundation International (OFI).
