Indonesia releases 8 orangutans rescued from fires to protected forest

Indonesian authorities have released eight orangutans rescued from recent fires to a protected forest in West Kalimantan province, the forestry ministry and wildlife rehabilitation organization YIARI announced on Sunday. The apes, which included three mother and baby pairs and two male teenagers, were saved from areas devastated by blazes that primarily targeted plantation lands near their natural habitats in the past month.

The orangutans were relocated to the 23,000-hectare Batu Nyambu Protected Forest, featuring primary and secondary forest cover. YIARI CEO Karmele Llano Sanchez explained that the move to a new location was crucial when the animals' habitats became unsafe. She emphasized that habitat protection is a top priority, but rescue remains vital as long as their environment remains threatened.

The reserve was selected due to its availability of food, water, and connectivity to other forests, according to YIARI's operational director Argitoe Ranting. The goal is to ensure the rescued orangutans can thrive in their natural habitat rather than merely being moved from one place to another.

Indonesian officials and YIARI rescued a total of 46 orangutans from fire threats between August and October 9, according to natural resources agency head Murlan Dameria Pane. The critically endangered orangutans number around 104,000 in Borneo and Sumatra, a decline from over 230,000 a century ago, based on WWF data.

Last month, the International Union for Conservation of Nature warned that fires were burning in areas housing 52 percent of Borneo's orangutan population. Indonesia frequently battles wildfires during the dry season, but the current fires have worsened this year due to the intense El Nino weather phenomenon. Slash-and-burn land-clearing practices have also altered the naturally fire-resistant landscape, exacerbating the issue.