Forest Fires Threaten Wildlife in West Kalimantan’s Ketapang
- 22 Agt 2026 08:46 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Key Points
- Forest and land fires in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, have killed wildlife including a pangolin, snakes, and bees, while destroying their natural habitats.
- Manggala Agni teams warn that recurring fires pose a growing threat to local biodiversity and protected wildlife, requiring rapid fire suppression and prevention efforts.
RRI.CO.ID, Pontianak - Escalating forest and land fires (karhutla) in West Kalimantan are posing a direct threat to local wildlife populations, with field teams recovering casualties among protected and native species in Ketapang Regency, environmental authorities confirmed on Friday, August 21, 2026.
Personnel from the Manggala Agni Fire Operations Region (Daops) Kalimantan X/Ketapang discovered a burned pangolin (Manis javanica) alongside multiple snakes and destroyed bee nests while conducting suppression operations near Tanjung Pura main road in Sungai Awan Kiri Village, Muara Pawan Subdistrict. While slower-moving species and reptiles frequently perish in fire zones, larger mammals like orangutans and sun bears have so far managed to flee due to stronger instinctual flight responses.
The casualties underscore that West Kalimantan's recurring wildfires are expanding beyond atmospheric and human disruptions to severely damage local biodiversity and natural habitats.
Forestry fire officials and field coordinators emphasized that escalating fire activity threatens endemic wildlife habitats, requiring rapid response teams to safeguard surrounding ecosystems. Acting Head of Manggala Agni Daops Kalimantan X/Ketapang Efendi confirmed the field findings and noted varying survival rates among local fauna.
"Snakes are the most common animal found dead due to forest fires, regarding orangutans or bears, we have not found any so far because their instincts are stronger. When they hear the sound of fire from a distance, they quickly flee and move away," Efendi said in Pontianak on Friday, August 21, 2026, as quoted by Antara.
Manggala Agni Prevention and Innovation Coordinator Fitria Sri Handayani highlighted the broader impact on local species. "Apart from pangolins and snakes, our teams frequently encounter burned bee nests while handling fires in the field," Fitria added. ***
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