Indonesia rescues second orangutan mother and baby from wildfire

Jakarta: In a recent rescue mission, an orangutan mother and her baby were saved from the threat of wildfires in Indonesia, officials announced on Saturday. This incident occurred in Sungai Awan Kiri village, West Kalimantan, a region grappling with devastating forest and land fires that have blanketed parts of Borneo and Sumatra in smog, contributing to air pollution in nearby countries like Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines.

The orangutan duo had been under observation since July, after being spotted in a plantation area near a forest. However, due to the fast-spreading fire near their habitat, authorities decided to evacuate them to a rescue center run by Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia (YIARI) on Thursday. Both the mother and her baby are currently being closely monitored by veterinarians, with no signs of burn injuries as of a preliminary health check.

YIARI's veterinarian Komara informed that prolonged exposure to smoke can negatively impact the orangutans' respiratory system, particularly when smoke concentrations in their habitat are extremely high. As of now, nine orangutans have been evacuated because of wildfire threats in the Ketapang district of West Kalimantan province within a month, according to YIARI's operational director Argitoe Ranting.

This situation underscores the fact that fires not only destroy forests but also leave animals without shelter and food, as they are unable to relocate due to the burned areas.

Unfortunately, one orangutan lost its life after being rescued last week, with necropsy results indicating that smoke exposure was the primary cause of death. The West Kalimantan natural resources conservation agency reported this incident.