JAKARTA, Indonesia — Intense wildfires spreading across Borneo have placed endangered orangutans in a fight for survival. Rescuers are working urgently to evacuate animals that have been left injured, stranded, or trapped within thick, suffocating haze.
Among those rescued in recent months was a young female Bornean orangutan named Novita. Jamartin Sihite, chairman of the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, reported that she was discovered clinging to a nearly barren tree amidst the heavy smoke of the Katune forest in Central Kalimantan province.
“The burns on her palms and soles likely occurred when Novita attempted to navigate through a scorched area to reach a tree,” Sihite told the Associated Press. Novita, estimated to be between 3 and 4 years old, was tranquilized and administered oxygen and intravenous fluids before being transported to the Nyaru Menteng rehabilitation center.
Sihite noted that once her wounds have healed, specialists will assess her ability to climb and survive in the wild. “We have successfully released orangutans with missing fingers who managed to thrive in the forest, so we are optimistic that Novita can eventually return to her natural habitat,” he added.
The severity of forest and land fires in Indonesia has escalated this year, driven by an El Niño-induced dry season affecting both Borneo and parts of Sumatra. While Japan has provided firefighting assistance, acute water shortages in the affected regions have significantly hindered local suppression efforts.
The tragedy is underscored by the recent death of Sampurna, a 20-year-old male orangutan. Residents in West Kalimantan’s Ketapang district discovered him struggling to breathe on a palm oil plantation last month; the Indonesian Forestry Ministry confirmed he passed away just hours after being rescued.
According to the Forestry Ministry, over 270 wild animals in Kalimantan have been rescued, rehabilitated, or relocated to safer environments as of last Saturday.
Official government statistics indicate that over 202,000 hectares of land burned between January and July. However, the independent Nusantara Atlas project, which utilizes satellite monitoring, estimates the total burned area reached nearly 896,000 hectares by the end of August.
The resulting toxic smoke and haze have triggered a regional health crisis, drifting as far as the Philippines, over 800 kilometers away. In Malaysia, authorities were forced to declare an emergency in Sarawak last week.
Andi Muhammad Kadhafi, head of the Central Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency, stated that Novita’s plight illustrates the devastating dual impact of peatland and forest fires on both human populations and wildlife.
“Wildfires threaten more than just human health; they jeopardize entire ecosystems and wildlife habitats,” Kadhafi said. “Effective management requires a synchronized approach of fire prevention, habitat protection, constant monitoring, and rapid response.”