Rescuers Save Seven Orangutans from Borneo Wildfires

Indonesian conservationists rescued seven critically endangered Bornean orangutans from spreading wildfires last month. One of the rescued apes later died from smoke exposure, according to the NGO Yayasan International Animal Rescue Indonesia (YIARI).

Heribertus Suciadi, a YIARI spokesperson, confirmed the seven rescues occurred through August. The Bornean orangutan is critically endangered, with an estimated population of just over 100,000 in a 2016 assessment. Researchers project an 86% decline for the species between 1950 and 2025, driven by habitat loss, direct killing, and recurring wildfire crises.

Rescue Operations in Ketapang

Rescue teams faced multiple emergencies in Ketapang district, a low-lying peatland area in West Kalimantan province. On August 30, villagers found a weak adult male orangutan named Sampurna near an oil palm plantation. Veterinarian Komara from YIARI said the animal was evacuated for treatment but died hours later from symptoms of severe smoke exposure.

"In conditions of severe exposure, especially when the smoke is very thick and lasts for several days, orangutans can experience respiratory distress and oxygen deficiency or hypoxia," Komara said.

Three days earlier, a joint team from YIARI, the provincial conservation agency (BKSDA), and Gunung Palung National Park saved a mother and infant from an oil palm plantation. Named Mama Yayuk and Yayuk, the pair were released into the national park. On August 21, another mother and her two offspring were evacuated from a community orchard after being cut off by fires. An earlier rescue on August 6 recovered a male orangutan named Wak from a different village orchard.

High Alert for Wildlife Threats

Murlan Dameria Pane, head of the BKSDA, said the agency is on high alert to attend to wildlife threatened by wildfires. The agency follows up on every public report about animals needing evacuation. Argitoe Ranting, YIARI's operational lead, urged the public to report sightings rather than approach the animals.

"The impact of forest and land fires on wildlife doesn’t always involve burns," Argitoe said. "Exposure to smoke can also cause serious health problems, so any report of an animal in a weak or abnormal condition requires immediate attention."

Fire Scale and Peatland Risk

Indonesia faces a severe fire season fueled by a strengthening El Niño, which brings hot, dry conditions. Through August 9, wildfires had burned 28,680 hectares in West Kalimantan alone. This accounted for more than half the burned land across six of Indonesia's worst-hit provinces.

Satellite data from January 1 to July 27, 2026, recorded 17,236 fire hotspots with moderate to high confidence levels across West Kalimantan. Ketapang district had the highest concentration.

Ketapang's landscape, dominated by drained peatlands, is highly flammable during drought. Argitoe Ranting noted that some fires burn on land once designated as protected but later converted for agriculture. In 2022, local women partnered with YIARI to form an all-women firefighting unit called "the Power of Mama" to combat the blazes.