Wildfire Threats Push Orangutan Rescue Efforts in West Kalimantan

RRI.CO.ID, Pontianak - The growing impact of forest and land fires in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, has once again forced conservation teams to act swiftly, highlighting the broader environmental crisis threatening wildlife habitats.

The West Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) and the Indonesian Nature Rehabilitation Initiative Foundation (YIARI) evacuated a mother orangutan and her infant from Sungai Awan Kiri Village in Ketapang Regency, as smoke and flames encroached on their habitat.

"The forest and land fires spreading in Ketapang once again threaten wildlife, leading the joint team to save a female orangutan and her infant," YIARI veterinarian Komara said in Ketapang on Saturday, September 5, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Komara explained that the rescue was carried out after the fire approached the animals’ location, leaving no safe route for them to move. "The mother and infant orangutan had been monitored since mid‑June 2026 in farmland bordering a small forest patch," he added.

Since September 1, West Kalimantan BKSDA and YIARI have intensified patrols in fire‑prone areas to anticipate the impact of wildfires on wildlife. On Thursday, September 3, the team arrived at 06:30 a.m. local time, sedated the 20‑year‑old mother, and evacuated her with her infant using nets.

Initial checks found no burns or physical injuries. After oxygen support during recovery, both were transferred to YIARI’s Orangutan Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Sungai Awan Kiri.

The infant, a male estimated to be under one year old, appeared active but showed mucus and dried fluid around his nose, suspected to be linked to smoke exposure. Komara warned that prolonged haze could affect orangutan respiratory systems when smoke concentration is high.

“Neither the mother nor the infant orangutan suffered injuries from the fire. Their health will continue to be monitored at the rescue and rehabilitation center,” Komara said.

YIARI Program Operations Director Argitoe Ranting noted that within less than a month, West Kalimantan BKSDA and YIARI had rescued at least nine orangutans affected by wildfires in Ketapang.

Head of West Kalimantan BKSDA, Murlan Dameria Pane, urged the public to report sightings of wildlife impacted by fires. He emphasized the importance of preventing forest and land fires to protect both animal habitats and human lives. ***