Critically Endangered Orangutan Mother and Baby Rescued from Indonesian Trap

A critically endangered orangutan mother and her infant have been rescued in Indonesia after becoming entangled in a trap, sustaining significant injuries. The pair, identified as Gadis, approximately 25 years old, and her 10-month-old son Garis, were discovered by conservation workers on Friday morning in Central Kalimantan province, on the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo.

Gadis suffered deep lacerations to her flesh from the trap, which conservation officials suspect was intended for wild boar. "It looked like the ropes were set up as a wild boar snare trap," an official stated, noting that ropes were tied around Gadis's upper right and lower left arms, causing severe wounds.

Both orangutans are now undergoing medical treatment at the Orangutan Foundation International clinic located near the village of Pangkalan Bun.

Wild boar hunting using rope snares is a legal and common practice in some areas of Indonesia, employed as a pest control measure to protect agricultural crops. However, its use is prohibited within protected forests and national parks. Officials have previously warned that the careless placement of such snares near wildlife habitats can inadvertently endanger protected species like sun bears and orangutans.

Orangutans, native to the rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia, are classified as critically endangered. Their populations have declined significantly due to human activities, with an estimated 120,000 remaining in the wild across Borneo and Sumatra, a figure roughly half of what it was a century ago, according to the WWF.

The rescue of Gadis and Garis comes amid a period of heightened concern for orangutan welfare in Indonesia, with dozens of the animals having been recovered in recent weeks from widespread wildfires. Additionally, two other orangutans were released in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, on Saturday, following their rescue from an oil palm plantation.