Wildfires threaten Indonesia’s orangutans as rescuers find injured animals

Wildfires burning across parts of Indonesia’s Borneo island have endangered orangutans, with rescue teams evacuating animals found injured or trapped amid thick smoke, the Associated Press (AP) reports.

A female Bornean orangutan named Novita was among dozens of apes rescued from wildfire-affected areas of Sumatra and Borneo in recent months.

Novita was discovered clinging to a tree with almost no leaves in the Katune forest in Central Kalimantan province, as heavy smoke spread across the charred landscape, said Jamartin Sihite, 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 in an interview.

Novita, estimated to be between three and four years old, was tranquilised at the scene before receiving oxygen and intravenous fluids. She was then transported to a rehabilitation centre in Nyaru Menteng.

Sihite said veterinarians would assess whether she could climb and survive in the wild after her burns had healed.

“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.”

Forest and land fires in Indonesia have intensified this year as El Niño has aggravated an extended dry season. The fires have affected Indonesian Borneo as well as parts of Sumatra.

Water shortages have made firefighting more difficult, while Japan has provided assistance to tackle the blazes on the island.

The fires have also proved fatal for wildlife. Sampurna, a male orangutan believed to be about 20 years old, was found struggling to breathe by local residents early last month at a palm oil plantation in Ketapang district, West Kalimantan, an area affected by wildfires. He died hours after being rescued, according to Indonesia’s Forestry Ministry.

As of Saturday, more than 270 wild animals in Kalimantan had been rescued, rehabilitated or directed towards safer habitats, the ministry said.

Government data showed that more than 202,000 hectares (499,000 acres) of land burned between January and July. Nusantara Atlas, an independent project that tracks fires through satellite imagery, estimated that the total area burned had reached nearly 896,000 hectares (2.2 million acres) by the end of August.

Smoke and toxic haze from the fires have also affected neighbouring countries. The smoke has travelled as far as the Philippines, more than 800 kilometres (500 miles) away. In Malaysia, authorities declared an emergency last week in Sarawak, on the Malaysian part of Borneo.

Andi Muhammad Kadhafi, head of the Central Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency, said Novita’s case demonstrated how forest and peatland fires threaten both wildlife and people.

“Wildfires do not only affect humans but can also threaten wildlife and their habitats,” he said. “Fire prevention, habitat protection, monitoring and rapid response need to go hand in hand.”