{
  "id": 12141966,
  "title": "‘There could be local extinction’: The fight to protect Indonesia’s orangutans as El Niño fuels fires",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/there-could-be-local-extinction-the-fight-to-protect-indonesias",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-05T11:08:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mongabay",
    "slug": "mongabay",
    "url": "https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/there-could-be-local-extinction-the-fight-to-protect-indonesias-orangutans-as-el-nino-fuels-fires/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Jakarta — As Indonesia grapples with a severe fire season exacerbated by strong El Niño conditions, scientists and experts are sounding the alarm over the imminent threat to the critically endangered Bornean orangutan population. Over half of the world's Bornean orangutans reside in the rainforests currently engulfed in flames. Conservationists are racing against time to save wildlife trapped in the burning landscapes, with 100 animals, including 53 orangutans, already rescued as of September 22, according to the Ministry of Forestry. However, the toll on the orangutans continues to mount, with some suffering severe physical injuries after escaping the inferno. In Central Kalimantan, a 4-year-old orangutan named Novita was found with severe burns on all four hands and feet after being trapped in a burning area near Sebangau National Park. Such incidents highlight the dire situation, with Borneo Nature Foundation CEO Anton Nurcahyo warning that females with young are at a heightened risk during these fires. Their tendency to remain in established home ranges can prove disadvantageous when flames spread, and their need to remain close to their offspring limits their ability to flee from the danger quickly. Tragically, an adult male orangutan found severely weakened and gasping for air in an oil palm plantation succumbed to his injuries despite emergency treatment.",
  "summary": "JAKARTA — Fires burning within rainforests that contain more than half of the world’s critically endangered Bornean orangutan population have prompted scientists and experts to call for urgent action in response to the escalating fires across Indonesia. The warning comes as Indonesia faces a severe fire season fueled by strong El Niño conditions, with conservationists […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}