Conservationists in Indonesian Borneo have successfully released nine orangutans rescued from wildfires that devastated their habitat in Ketapang, West Kalimantan province earlier this year. The rescued animals, including four mother-and-infant pairs, were relocated to a protected area in Batu Nyambu, a 23,000-hectare forest reserve within the same province.
The orangutans were initially found in poor condition during rescue efforts between August and September, suffering from burns, malnutrition, and other signs of distress caused by the fires. The YIARI wildlife rehabilitation foundation, responsible for their care, nursed the animals over a period of four to eight weeks at a rehabilitation center in Ketapang. During this time, they received medical attention and were steadily returned to health.
YIARI CEO Karmele Llano Sanchez described the challenging process of transporting the orangutans to their new habitat. The conservation team had to navigate difficult terrain on foot while carrying the animals in cages suspended from poles. Upon release, the orangutans quickly climbed into the forest canopy, marking the culmination of months of recovery and preparation.
Among the released animals, three mothers were found to be pregnant during their final health assessments. One of them, identified as Mama Ocha, was accompanied by her infant Ocha. Conservation staff plan to continue monitoring Mama Ocha to ensure a safe delivery, an outcome deemed significant for the species' future.
Orangutans are classified as critically endangered, with current wild populations estimated at around 104,000 individuals across Borneo and Sumatra—less than half the numbers recorded a century ago, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature. Indonesia’s forestry ministry reports that at least 51 orangutans have been rescued from fires in West Kalimantan between August and mid-October. These fires, which continue to threaten Borneo’s forests, have also been highlighted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as impacting over half of the island’s orangutan habitat.
The wildfires are largely attributed to slash-and-burn land-clearing techniques commonly linked to timber harvesting, palm oil cultivation, and mining. Deforestation monitoring group Nusantara Atlas estimates that more than 1.9 million hectares of land were burned across Indonesia during the first nine months of 2026, contributing to habitat loss and increased risks for wildlife.
Batu Nyambu was selected as the release site due to its largely intact forest ecosystem, providing a suitable environment with abundant food and shelter for the rehabilitated orangutans to thrive. Veterinarian Ishma Maula noted the urgency of the release, citing signs of stress and abnormal behavior in the orangutans during their rehabilitation period.
The effort reflects ongoing attempts by conservation groups and government agencies to safeguard Indonesia’s orangutan populations amid escalating environmental threats posed by human activity and climate-related disasters.