Rescuers carry 51 orangutans to safety from Borneo's wildfires

Indonesia is facing its worst wildfires in a decade. On Borneo, one of only two islands where orangutans live, teams are working every day to get them out of harm’s way.

51 orangutans safe

West Kalimantan’s conservation agency (BKSDA) and the Indonesian charity YIARI have evacuated 51 orangutans from fire-hit areas since 6 August, mostly in the Ketapang and North Kayong districts.

They use drones to find burned areas, sedate the apes and move them carefully. Among the latest were two young females, Lusi and Riri, and a mother and baby, Mama Rian and Rian.

The latest rescue

On Saturday, three conservation agencies rescued a 20-year-old male in Hampangen village, Central Kalimantan. “The evacuation process was carried out with great caution,” they said. After sedation, a veterinary team examined him and took him to a rehabilitation centre.

Back to the forest

Healthy apes return to the wild as soon as possible: this month, eight rescued orangutans were moved into a protected forest. The rest are recovering at centres such as YIARI’s, which now cares for around 90.

“Restoration efforts are crucial to orangutan survival,” says Murlan Dameria Pane, head of West Kalimantan’s conservation agency.

Why it matters

The Bornean orangutan is critically endangered. Every ape saved counts, and behind every rescue are firefighters, vets and volunteers who don’t give up.