This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: An orangutan mother and her baby, threatened by wildfires encroaching on their habitat in Indonesia, were rescued earlier this week, authorities said in a statement Saturday. The vast Southeast Asian archipelago has for weeks been fighting wildfires blanketing parts of Borneo and Sumatra with smog, with haze also contributing to air pollution in Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines.
The orangutan pair had been under observation since July after being spotted in a plantation area near a forest in West Kalimantan, a local natural resources conservation agency said in a statement. But authorities decided to evacuate them to a rescue center managed by the wildlife foundation Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia (YIARI) on Thursday as fire spread near their habitat. Their health is being closely monitored by veterinarians, but a preliminary check found no burn injuries on the two great apes.
"Exposure to smoke over a period of time ... can affect the orangutan's respiratory system, especially when smoke concentrations in the habitat are very high," YIARI veterinarian Komara, who like many Indonesians uses only one name, said in a statement. "Both individuals will continue to be monitored while they are at the rescue and rehabilitation center." The latest rescue brings the number of orangutans evacuated because of wildfire threats to nine in less than a month in the Ketapang district of West Kalimantan province, YIARI operational director Argitoe Ranting said. "This shows that fires not only destroy forests but also deprive animals of shelter and food," Ranting said.
Most animals "do not have many options" to relocate as their habitat burns, he added. One orangutan died after being rescued last week, with a necropsy indicating smoke exposure as the cause of death, the West Kalimantan natural resources conservation agency said in a statement. Master's in physics with research experience.
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