Wildlife Rescues Intensify as Indonesia’s Fire Hotspots Decline
- 17 Sep 2026 12:34 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Key Points
- Conservation teams rescued 21 orangutans and 12 other wild animals displaced by forest fires in Kalimantan.
- Indonesia’s high-confidence fire hotspots fell by 558 in one day, though firefighting and wildlife rescue operations remain active.
RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian forestry authorities and conservation teams are stepping up emergency wildlife rescue operations across Sumatra and Kalimantan even as national high-confidence fire hotspots saw a steep decline, falling by 558 points in a single day.
Data from the Ministry of Forestry recorded 479 high-confidence hotspots on Wednesday evening, down significantly from previous figures across all six priority provinces. However, the environmental disruption caused by lingering fires and dense haze has forced numerous protected species out of their natural habitats, triggering urgent intervention by wildlife response teams.
In West Kalimantan alone, the local Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA), alongside the International Animal Rescue Indonesia Foundation (YIARI), has successfully evacuated 21 orangutans. Teams also rescued 12 other vulnerable wild animals fleeing damaged forests, including pangolins, proboscis monkeys, silvery lutungs, Bornean slow lorises, and Malayan civets.
While ground forces continue fire suppression, peatland rewetting, and 24-hour medical monitoring for affected fauna, officials noted a general reduction in high-confidence hotspots across key regions.
South Sumatra dropped to 123 hotspots from 245, Central Kalimantan decreased to 102 from 266, and West Kalimantan fell to 21 from 43. Meanwhile, Jambi recorded 12 hotspots down from 62, South Kalimantan decreased to 11 from 72, and Riau fell to 11 from 15.
Despite the overall numerical drop, ministry officials emphasized that hotspots indicate thermal anomalies and require continuous ground verification. Combined response teams comprising Manggala Agni firefighters, military, police, and regional disaster agencies remain deployed in high-concentration zones like South Sumatra and Central Kalimantan.
Aerial support remains active with 53 specialized aircraft, including 34 water-bombing units and 19 planes dedicated to air patrols and weather modification operations. Among the fleet are three CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters from Japan, though low visibility from haze in parts of West Kalimantan has occasionally restricted flight operations due to safety protocols.
To protect both residents and displaced fauna, the Ministry of Forestry has instructed the public not to attempt capturing distressed wildlife independently. Authorities urge residents who spot fleeing animals to report exact locations to official BKSDA rescue hotlines operating in West, Central, and East Kalimantan. ***
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