Wild mammals
Orangutans released into protected Borneo forest
Nine rescued apes, including pregnant mothers, return to wild after wildfire recovery in West Kalimantan’s Batu Nyambu sanctuary.
Reported by Phys.org · · 2 min read
Nine orangutans rescued from Indonesia’s burning forests in West Kalimantan have been released into a protected 23,000-hectare sanctuary, where they quickly climbed into the treetops upon opening their cages. Among them were four mother-infant pairs, including three pregnant females, whose health was monitored before their return to the wild.
The animals suffered burns, malnutrition, and stress during the August and September wildfires that devastated their habitat. Conservationists with the YIARI wildlife rehabilitation foundation spent weeks rehabilitating them in Ketapang, providing medical care and nutritional support before determining they were fit for release. ‘Some had severe injuries and were dangerously thin,’ a foundation official noted, emphasizing the urgency of their recovery.
A safe haven in untouched forest
Batu Nyambu was selected as the release site due to its intact forest cover, offering ample food and shelter. The journey to the sanctuary required hours of trekking through rugged terrain, with workers carrying the orangutans in suspended cages. Upon release, the apes immediately vanished into the canopy, a sign of their readiness to resume life in the wild. ‘They belonged there all along,’ the official said, adding that the team will remain nearby to ensure the pregnant females, including one named Mama Ocha, deliver safely.
The rescue reflects growing threats to Borneo’s critically endangered orangutans, with fewer than 104,000 remaining across the island and Sumatra—less than half their population from a century ago. Wildfires, often linked to deforestation for agriculture and mining, have consumed over 1.9 million hectares of land this year alone, according to monitoring groups. Indonesia’s forestry ministry reports at least 51 orangutans have been rescued from fires in West Kalimantan since August.
Conservationists warn that habitat loss and climate-driven fires are accelerating the decline of orangutans, whose survival depends on urgent protection of remaining forests. The release of these nine individuals offers hope, but experts stress the need for broader action to safeguard their shrinking strongholds.
