Orangutan mother and baby rescued from Indonesia wildfires

Indonesian authorities have successfully rescued an orangutan mother and her baby from the threat of wildfires, officials announced on Saturday. The Southeast Asian archipelago has been battling extensive fires that have been blanketing parts of Borneo and Sumatra with smog, causing significant air pollution in neighboring Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines.

The orangutan pair, originally spotted in a plantation area near a forest in West Kalimantan, had been under observation since July. Due to the encroaching fire, they were evacuated to a rescue center managed by Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia (YIARI) on Thursday. As of now, both orangutans are under close medical supervision, with no sign of burn injuries.

YIARI's veterinarian, Komara, reported that prolonged exposure to smoke can adversely affect the respiratory system of orangutans, especially in highly polluted habitats. So far, nine orangutans have been evacuated due to wildfire threats in the Ketapang district of West Kalimantan province in the last month. This highlights the devastating impact of fires not just on forests, but also on the animals that inhabit them, depriving them of essential shelter and food.

Unfortunately, one orangutan lost its life during the rescue process, as confirmed by a necropsy that pointed to smoke exposure as the cause of death.