Orangutan Rescue

An orangutan mother and her baby, threatened by encroaching wildfires in Indonesia, were rescued this week, authorities said. The vast Southeast Asian archipelago has for weeks been fighting wildfires blanketing parts of Borneo and Sumatra with smog, with haze also contributing to air pollution in Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines.

The orangutan pair had been under observation since July after being spotted in a plantation area near a forest in West Kalimantan. Authorities decided to evacuate them to a rescue center as fire spread near their habitat. A preliminary check found no burn injuries on the two great apes.

Smoke exposure

"Exposure to smoke over a period of time can affect the orangutan's respiratory system, especially when smoke concentrations in the habitat are very high," said YIARI veterinarian Komara. The latest rescue means nine orangutans have been evacuated because of threats from wildfires in less than a month in the Ketapang district.

"This shows that fires not only destroy forests but also deprive animals of shelter and food," said YIARI operational director Argitoe Ranting. Most animals "do not have many options" to relocate as their habitat burns. One orangutan died after being rescued last week, with a necropsy result pointing to smoke exposure as the cause of death.