Eleven Orangutans Evacuated from Samboja Forest Fire Threat
- 03 Sep 2026 23:21 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Poin Utama
- 11 orangutans undergoing rehabilitation at the Jejak Pulang Forest School in KHDTK Samboja, East Kalimantan, were evacuated due to the threat of forest and land fires.
- The emergency status at the forest school was activated on 1 September 2026 as thick smoke and approaching flames posed risks to the animals.
RRI.CO.ID, Samarinda - The threat of forest fires encroaching on the Special Purpose Forest Area (KHDTK) Samboja in Kutai Kartanegara, East Kalimantan, has forced 11 orangutans at the Jejak Pulang Forest School to be evacuated to emergency enclosures. This situation has required medical teams and caretakers to work extra hard to ensure the rehabilitation curriculum and the animals’ wild instincts remain undisturbed.
Head of the East Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA), M Ari Wibawanto, conveyed that the emergency status at the Jejak Pulang Forest School area was officially activated on 1 September 2026 at 4 p.m. local time. This decisive step was taken to protect the animals from the threat of thick smoke and approaching flames.
As reported by Antara, the rescue process was carried out very carefully by the BKSDA Wildlife Rescue Unit team together with animal caretakers. They guided and carried one by one the orangutans undergoing rehabilitation toward the evacuation vehicles.
Racing against time as visibility began to dim, Ari said all the protected animals were successfully moved to safety on Tuesday, 1 September 2026 at 6 p.m. local time. They are now housed in temporary care facilities at kilometer 38 in Samboja.
Based on post-evaporation examinations, BKSDA East Kalimantan confirmed that all 11 orangutan individuals were monitored in healthy condition and safe from the impacts of smoke exposure.
The orangutan rehabilitation process is ensured to continue optimally while they remain in the temporary care enclosures. The team continues to meet their needs for food, activity, and enrichment to maintain the animals’ physical condition and natural behavior.
“This evacuation step, accompanied by animal welfare monitoring, is a manifestation of our commitment to protecting the biodiversity of the Indonesian archipelago from environmental disaster threats,” said Ari in Samarinda on Thursday, 3 September 2026. ***
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