Wildfires that have swept across Indonesia’s Borneo and Sumatra islands in recent weeks are posing significant threats to critically endangered Bornean orangutans and other wildlife, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). These fires have resulted in thick haze affecting Indonesia as well as neighboring Malaysia and Singapore.

The IUCN reported that the fires are burning within habitats that contain approximately 52% of Borneo’s orangutan population, including 13 of the 20 largest remaining groups. The peat forest habitats where many of these apes live are particularly vulnerable, with smoke and fire exposure leading to measurable physiological, behavioral, and ecological impacts on the orangutans. During periods of haze, orangutans have shown signs of fat breakdown despite increased food intake and rest, indicating elevated energy demands likely related to immune system strain.

In addition to orangutans, the wildfires have also affected the habitats of five gibbon species across Borneo and Sumatra. These primates suffer not only from habitat loss and disruption of behaviors essential for population viability but also from respiratory harm due to smoky air pollution, which affects local human populations as well.

Indonesian authorities have intervened to rescue some of the animals threatened by the fires. As of Tuesday, officials reported rescuing 100 animals, including 53 orangutans. Despite these efforts, conservationists emphasize that emergency response is only a first step and call for more robust, sustained measures to prevent future fires.

Ronna Saab of Forum Konservasi Orangutan Indonesia (FORINA) underscored the need for long-term strategies, including protecting and rewetting peatlands, managing drainage and deforestation, and ensuring that areas damaged by fire are not converted to other land uses but properly restored.

The extent of the fires this year remains a subject of some discrepancy. Official Indonesian government data indicate that more than 202,000 hectares of land burned nationwide from January to July, while the Nusantara Atlas project estimates the figure to be closer to 900,000 hectares between January and August.

These ongoing wildfires highlight the urgent need for comprehensive fire management and habitat conservation efforts in Indonesia, especially to safeguard critically endangered species like the Bornean orangutan and gibbons, whose survival depends heavily on the health of peat forest ecosystems.