Indonesia's Orangutans in Peril as Wildfires Rage

A mother orangutan, Mama Abu, and her eight-month-old infant, Abu, were rescued last month from wildfires that have been ravaging Indonesia's forests and peatlands. The fires, exacerbated by a supercharged El Niño, have unleashed thick smog and destroyed critical habitat for some of the planet's most vulnerable species. The mother's hands had peeled from traversing scorched terrain, while her baby was found dehydrated and emaciated.

Although wildfires are an annual occurrence in Indonesia, where fire is frequently employed for land clearance, this year's El Niño has precipitated exceptionally arid conditions, enabling blazes to proliferate across Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Papua. Peatlands, which in their natural state remain waterlogged, have been drained over recent decades by industrial agriculture, leaving them highly combustible. According to the IUCN's primate specialists, 52% of Bornean orangutan habitat is now affected by the fires.

Rescue operations, conducted by Yiari in collaboration with West Kalimantan's Natural Resources Conservation Agency, have evacuated over 20 orangutans and other species, including pangolins. One orangutan succumbed, likely to smoke inhalation; others exhibited burns on their hands from contact with scorching ground. Dr. Karmele Llano Sanchez, a veterinarian and CEO of Yiari, described the toll on wildlife as 'huge'. Long-term repercussions include diminished food availability and heightened inter-animal conflict, alongside potential health impacts from prolonged exposure to dense smog.

Sources: theguardian.com