Mother Orangutan and Baby Evacuated as Fires Reach West Kalimantan Habitat

An orangutan mother and her baby have been evacuated from an area threatened by wildfires in Indonesia’s West Kalimantan province, authorities said Saturday. The pair had been monitored since July after being found in a plantation near a forest in the Ketapang district. Officials decided to move them on Thursday when fires began spreading closer to their habitat. The animals were taken to a rescue center operated by Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia, or YIARI. Veterinarians are monitoring their condition. An initial examination found no burn injuries, but the orangutans remain under observation because prolonged exposure to wildfire smoke can affect their respiratory systems, according to YIARI veterinarian Komara. The evacuation is part of a wider response to fires affecting parts of Indonesia’s islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Smoke from the fires has also contributed to haze and air pollution in Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines, according to the report. YIARI operational director Argitoe Ranting said the latest rescue brought the number of orangutans evacuated because of wildfire threats in Ketapang to nine in less than a month. He said fires destroy not only forests but also the shelter and food sources animals depend on, leaving many with few options as their habitat burns. The rescue effort has also had a fatal outcome. One orangutan rescued the previous week died, and a necropsy indicated that smoke exposure was the cause of death, according to West Kalimantan’s natural resources conservation agency. The newly rescued mother and baby will continue to be monitored at the rescue and rehabilitation center.