{
  "id": 13784549,
  "title": "Orangutans released back into Borneo forest after devastating fires",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/orangutans-released-back-into-borneo-forest-after-devastating-fires-13784549",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-11T19:08:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC News",
    "slug": "bbc-news",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwvgde0m2d73o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Eight orangutans have been released back into the wild in Borneo, following their captivity due to habitat threats from wildfires during the summer. The trio of mothers and their offspring were freed in a reserve on the western side of the island, according to International Animal Rescue Indonesia (Yiari) and the forestry ministry. Indonesian authorities rescued a total of 46 orangutans from fires in August and September. The fires in the region are typical of the country's dry season, but this year's were particularly intense due to the El Niño phenomenon, causing more volatile and extreme weather patterns. Currently, around 104,000 orangutans remain in Borneo and Sumatra, a significant decline from over 230,000 a century ago, as reported by the conservation group WWF. Yiari CEO Karmele Llano Sanchez explained that relocating the eight orangutans was necessary when their habitats became unsafe. Among the released orangutans was Mama Nopi and her offspring Nopi, Naufal, and Nopan, who had been living in a coconut and rubber plantation before their rescue in early September. Fires had destroyed the surrounding forestry, limiting their access to food and bringing them closer to human settlements. Mama Lifa and her child Lifa were found in an area surrounded entirely by oil palm plantations. The loss of their habitat due to wildfires and the scarcity of food sources prompted their rescue in mid-September. Mama Man and her baby Man had been under observation by animal rescuers since June, after they were found living in a plantation area near a small patch of forest. Fires that approached their location restricted their roaming area, leaving them without a safe route to other forestry. The chosen reserve for their release is ideal as it provides food and water and is connected to other forested areas. Yiari's Argitoe Ranting emphasized the importance of ensuring that the rescued orangutans not only move from one location to another but also have a chance to survive in their natural habitat. In late August, the International Union for Conservation of Nature warned that wildfires were burning in areas housing 52% of Borneo's orangutan population. The organization warns that if climate change continues at its current pace, a significant portion of the ape's habitat will become inhospitable. This year's El Niño has been the strongest on record and is expected to have lasting effects on the climate into the following year. Experts also attribute the worsening of the situation to land-clearing practices for plantation expansion, replacing naturally fire-resistant forests with less dense and shaded vegetation, making Indonesia more vulnerable to wildfires. The primary reason for relocating the orangutans was the degradation of their original habitats, which could no longer support the primates.",
  "summary": "Rescuers moved the apes after their habitats were threatened by intense wildfires over the summer.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Science",
        "title": "Orangutans released back into Borneo forest after devastating fires",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/orangutans-released-back-into-borneo-forest-after-devastating-fires",
        "published": "2026-10-11T19:08:04.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}