Wildfires Endanger Indonesian Orangutans Amidst Thick Haze

Wildfires sweeping across parts of Indonesia’s Borneo island have left endangered orangutans struggling to survive, prompting rescuers to evacuate animals found injured, stranded, and surrounded by thick haze.

A female Bornean orangutan nicknamed Novita was among dozens of apes rescued from wildfires in parts of Sumatra and Borneo in recent months. She was found clinging to a nearly leafless tree as dense smoke billowed across the scorched landscape in the Katune forest in Central Kalimantan province, said Jamartin Sihite, the chairman of the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation.

"The palms of her hands and the soles of her feet suffered burns that were likely sustained when Novita crossed a burned area while trying to reach a tree," Sihite told The Associated Press. He said that Novita, estimated to be 3 to 4 years old, was tranquilized, given oxygen and intravenous fluids, and taken to the rehabilitation center in Nyaru Menteng.

Once her burns have healed, Novita will be evaluated to see if she can climb and survive in her natural environment. "We have previously released orangutans missing several fingers and they were still able to survive in the forest, so we remain hopeful that Novita can eventually return to the wild," Sihite added.

Forest and land fires in Indonesia have worsened this year as El Niño intensifies a prolonged dry season, affecting not only the Indonesian part of Borneo but also some regions on Sumatra island. Water shortages in the affected areas have hampered firefighting efforts.

A male orangutan named Sampurna, believed to be around 20 years old, was found struggling to breathe by residents early last month on a palm oil plantation in West Kalimantan’s Ketapang district, an area impacted by wildfires. He died hours after being rescued, Indonesia’s Forestry Ministry said.

Government data indicated that more than 202,000 hectares (499,000 acres) of land had burned between January and July. The independent Nusantara Atlas project, which monitors fires using satellite imagery, estimated that nearly 896,000 hectares (2.2 million acres) had burned by the end of August.

The toxic haze and smoke have also caused a health crisis in neighboring countries, with the smoke drifting as far as the Philippines, over 800 kilometers (500 miles) away. In Malaysia, authorities declared an emergency last week in Sarawak on Malaysia’s portion of Borneo.

Novita’s case highlights the impact of forest and peatland fires on wildlife, as well as people, said Andi Muhammad Kadhafi, head of the Central Kalimantan's Natural Resources Conservation Agency. "Wildfires do not only affect humans but can also threaten wildlife and their habitats," he stated. "Fire prevention, habitat protection, monitoring, and rapid response need to go hand in hand."