East Kalimantan BKSDA Requests Water Tanks in Orangutan Corridors

RRI.CO.ID, Samarinda - To anticipate potential wildlife conflicts in operational areas, the East Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) has requested that companies provide water tanks along orangutan crossing corridors and install warning billboards. This mitigation measure was taken to facilitate the water needs of isolated wildlife due to drought conditions without requiring them to approach human activity.

Previously, the appearance of an orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) on a company access road in East Kutai Regency in August went viral on social media. “The appearance of wildlife near the road is strongly suspected to have been triggered by dry season conditions, which caused several streams in the forest to dry up,” said Head of East Kalimantan BKSDA, M Ari Wibawanto, in Samarinda on Wednesday, 16 September 2026.

The drought conditions forced the orangutan to move out of the forest area in search of drinking water sources and daily food availability. As a mitigation measure, East Kalimantan BKSDA has installed warning billboards and requested that companies provide water tanks in wildlife corridors.

“We ask the public and passing motorists not to approach, not to feed, and not to disturb the wildlife,” he said, as quoted by Antara.

He conveyed that prudent behavior from road users is essential to avoid negative interactions and to protect the rare wildlife from the danger of accidents.“Efforts to locate and handle the orangutan on the hauling road of PT SHJ in Muara Bengkal Subdistrict, East Kutai, have actually been carried out intensively since July 2026,” said Ari.

A joint team from East Kalimantan BKSDA, together with the Centre for Orangutan Protection (COP) and company representatives, deployed personnel to the location from 20 to 24 July 2026. Officers briefly located the protected primate on 22 July, but technical constraints in the field caused the wildlife to return to the forest.

“Air monitoring using drones in late July successfully detected the presence of several orangutan nests in the high conservation value area,” revealed Ari.

Second-stage handling efforts were intensified again from 28 to 31 August, after videos of the wildlife appearance resurfaced on social media. The joint team conducted another sweep by gathering information from road users and re-examining the company’s vehicle routes.

Regular coordination continues to be maintained with concession area managers to ensure that the wildlife’s natural movement space remains safely monitored. East Kalimantan BKSDA is committed to continuing regular monitoring efforts to maintain the sustainability of the orangutan population in East Kalimantan.

“Preserving wildlife is not only about saving them, but also ensuring that humans and orangutans can coexist peacefully,” asserted Ari. ***