Critically Endangered Orangutan Mother and Baby Rescued from Trap in Indonesia

A critically endangered orangutan mother and her infant have been rescued in Indonesia after becoming entangled in a trap, officials reported.

Gadis, estimated to be 25 years old, and her 10-month-old son, Garis, were discovered by conservation workers early on Friday morning in the Central Kalimantan province of Borneo. They were found ensnared in a trap believed to be set for wild boar, which caused significant injuries to the mother.

Conservation workers found Gadis with ropes tied around her upper right and lower left arms, resulting in deep lacerations. The pair are now receiving medical care at the Orangutan Foundation International clinic near Pangkalan Bun.

Wild boar hunting, often employing rope snares, is a legal and common practice in parts of Indonesia for pest control to protect crops. However, conservationists have repeatedly warned that the indiscriminate placement of such traps can endanger other wildlife, including orangutans and sun bears.

Orangutans, native to the rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia, are classified as critically endangered. Their populations have seen significant declines due to human activities. Current estimates suggest approximately 120,000 orangutans remain in the wild across Borneo and Sumatra, a stark reduction from numbers seen a century ago.

This rescue follows recent reports of dozens of orangutans being recovered from widespread wildfires burning across Indonesia. In another incident, two orangutans were released in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, after being rescued from an oil palm plantation.