Orangutan found starving in burned Borneo forest as Indonesia rescues hundreds of animals

JAKARTA, Oct 15 - A starving orangutan was rescued from a fire-ravaged area on the Indonesian island of Borneo, as the country attempts to rescue hundreds of animals affected by the blazes. Indonesia has been battling fires on Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua islands, which have sent smog across borders to Malaysia and Singapore. The female orangutan, believed to be around 20 years old, was spotted in a burned forest in Central Kalimantan province and reported to officials by local residents.

Officials suspect the orangutan was searching for food when it was seen and reported. The great ape was safely captured using a net from a tree, and tests showed it was not injured or suffering from respiratory issues. However, its thin waist indicated it was starving. So far, Indonesia has rescued 232 wild animals, including 76 proboscis monkeys and 71 orangutans on Borneo.

Orangutans are critically endangered, with only around 104,000 remaining on Borneo and Sumatra, down from more than 230,000 a century ago. The International Union for Conservation of Nature warned that fires were burning in habitats containing 52 percent of Borneo’s orangutan population.