Antara News·Indonesia·Saturday, October 10, 2026 at 11:49 AM UTC

Eight orangutans rescued from W Kalimantan fires released into wild

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Narwati, Kenzu

Bengkayang, West Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Eight Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) rescued from forest and land fires in Ketapang and North Kayong districts in West Kalimantan were released into the Batu Nyambu Protected Forest in Ketapang District.

"Amid forest and land fires that are still ongoing, we are faced with a difficult situation," Indonesian Nature Rehabilitation Initiative Foundation (YIARI) Operations Director Argitoe Ranting said in a statement on Saturday.

He noted that many orangutans have lost their habitat, while safe forest areas capable of accommodating them remain limited.

Batu Nyambu Protected Forest was selected as the release site due to its adequate ecological carrying capacity, covering approximately 23,000 hectares with primary and secondary canopy cover, abundant food and water sources, roaming space, and connectivity with adjacent forest corridors.

The eight orangutans comprise three mother-and-offspring pairs and two juvenile males, all rescued from fire-impacted locations across Ketapang and North Kayong between August and September 2026.

One pair, Mama Man and her offspring, Man, were evacuated from Tempurukan Village in Ketapang District. They had been monitored since mid-June 2026 in residents' plantations bordering the forest, and were evacuated on September 3 after the fire moved closer to their habitat.

The four other orangutans, Mama Nopi and her offspring Nopi, along with two juvenile males named Naufal and Nopan, were rescued from Pemangkat Village in North Kayong District on Sept. 4, 2026. They had survived in coconut and rubber plantations after the fire burned down the forest and cut off the corridors connecting areas.

Meanwhile, Mama Lifa and her offspring Lifa were rescued on Sept. 18, 2026, from Pelang Village in Matan Hilir Selatan Sub-district, Ketapang District, where they were found isolated among a plot of about 400 square meters acacia trees surrounded by oil palm plantations.

Prior to release, all eight orangutans underwent health checks, medical care as needed, and observation at YIARI's rehabilitation facility in Sungai Awan, Ketapang. All the animals were reported to be healthy and still showed natural behavior.

Moving them to the release site required about six hours by land, followed by one hour by boat and around two hours on foot.

"The release was carried out in turns at several points about 80 meters apart to minimize disturbance to the animals," Ranting said.

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