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Six Orangutans Saved From Raging Borneo Fires
11 Sep
Summary
- Six orangutans, including two infants, were rescued from Borneo wildfires.
- The apes were trapped on plantations, separated from their forest habitat.
- Wildfires have burned nearly 900,000 hectares, affecting millions with toxic haze.
In the past week, six orangutans, including two nursing infants, were rescued from the wildfires engulfing Borneo. These animals were found on plantations in West Kalimantan province, having become trapped after fires blocked access to their natural forest habitat. The rescues, which bring the total to 15 orangutans saved in the last month, involved anaesthetizing the primates for safe transport to a rehabilitation center.
The fires have destroyed over 202,000 hectares of land between January and July, with recent estimates pushing the total closer to 900,000 hectares. This widespread burning has generated severe haze affecting neighboring countries and exposing an estimated 35 million people in Indonesia to toxic particles.
Authorities have deployed around 43,000 firefighters and are receiving international assistance, including helicopters from a Japanese navy ship, to combat the blazes. The dry season, exacerbated by El Niño, continues, posing an ongoing threat to wildlife and human health.
