Dozens of orangutans rescued from Indonesia's wildfires, conservation groups say
A conservation agency and a nonprofit said 51 orangutans have been evacuated in West Kalimantan since August; forestry ministry figures suggest the total across Kalimantan could be as high as 96.
As of 1:50 p.m. ET, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026
Dozens of critically endangered orangutans have been rescued in recent weeks from wildfires burning across Indonesia, conservation groups said, according to AFP.
On Saturday, Oct. 17, the West Kalimantan conservation agency and the Indonesian nonprofit YIARI said a team had evacuated 51 orangutans from locations in the province since Aug. 6.
Figures from Indonesia's forestry ministry this week suggested the number rescued in Kalimantan over recent months could be as high as 96, AFP reported. Officials could not immediately be reached to clarify the difference, according to the report. GROKsiNEWS.com has not independently confirmed either figure.
The latest rescue
The most recent rescue came Saturday, when three conservation agencies rescued a 20-year-old male orangutan in Hampangen village in Central Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo.
"The evacuation process was carried out with great caution," the agencies said. "After the orang utan was sedated, the medical team immediately conducted a health examination before taking the animal to the... rehabilitation centre".
Fires and haze
The fires on Borneo and Sumatra, worsened by a strong El Niño, have caused months of smoky haze across Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and East Timor, closing schools and driving up respiratory illness in people and animals, AFP reported.
Why it matters
Orangutans are critically endangered, and conservation teams are working to move animals trapped by the fires.
Sources
- AFP via The Straits Times, "Dozens of orang utans saved from Indonesia blazes," published Oct. 18, 2026, 1:15 a.m. ET, updated 3:24 a.m. ET: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/dozens-of-orang-utans-saved-from-indonesia-blazes
