Indonesian wildfires threaten critically-endangered orangutan: IUCN
Fires are currently burning within habitats containing 52 percent of Borneo's orangutan population, including 13 of the 20 largest remaining populations, according to the conservation body.
A severe wildfire crisis is threatening the critically-endangered Bornean orangutan population in Indonesia, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The fires, which have ravaged vast tropical forests in Kalimantan, have directly impacted 52 percent of the orangutan habitats, including 13 of the 20 largest populations.
This has led to physiological, behavioral, and ecological stress on the orangutans, as they struggle to cope with the heat and smoke, ultimately consuming more energy and risking their survival. Additionally, wildfires have also affected five gibbon species in Sumatra and Kalimantan, putting them at risk of respiratory harm due to the shared smoke-laden air.
As of Tuesday, Indonesian authorities have rescued 100 animals, including 53 orangutans, threatened by the blazes. Conservationists are urging the government to not only provide immediate relief but also invest in preventive measures, such as protecting and rewetting peatlands, addressing drainage and deforestation, and ensuring that burned forests are appropriately restored.
Between January and July, more than 202,000 hectares of land were burned nationwide, but independent forest monitoring platform Nusantara Atlas suggests the actual figure could be as high as 900,000 hectares between January and August.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
