Wildfires Threaten Indonesia’s Orangutans as Rescuers Find Injured Animals

Jakarta, Indonesia (AP) - Wildfires ravaging Indonesia's Borneo island have endangered orangutans, leading rescuers to evacuate injured animals from the scorched landscape. A female Bornean orangutan named Novita, estimated to be 3 to 4 years old, was among the rescued apes. Found clinging to a nearly leafless tree in the Katune forest in Central Kalimantan province, Novita suffered burns on her hands and feet, likely from crossing a burned area while searching for a tree.

She was tranquilized, given oxygen and intravenous fluids, and taken to a rehabilitation center in Nyaru Menteng. Once her burns heal, Novita will be assessed to determine if she can survive in her natural environment. The forest and land fires in Indonesia have worsened this year due to an intensifying El Niño and prolonged dry season, affecting not only Borneo but also some regions on Sumatra island.

Water shortages have hindered firefighting efforts, while Japan has provided assistance. A male orangutan named Sampurna, estimated to be around 20 years old, died after being rescued from a palm oil plantation in West Kalimantan's Ketapang district. Over 270 wild animals have been rescued, rehabilitated or guided to safer habitats in Kalimantan as of August.

More than 202,000 hectares (499,000 acres) of land have burned between January and July, with the Nusantara Atlas project estimating nearly 896,000 hectares (2.2 million acres) burned by the end of August. Toxic haze and smoke have caused a health crisis in neighboring countries, including the Philippines and Malaysia, where authorities declared an emergency in Sarawak.

Wildlife experts emphasize that wildfires impact not only humans but also wildlife and their habitats, emphasizing the need for fire prevention, habitat protection, monitoring, and rapid response.