Rescue teams stay on alert to save Borneo orangutans from fires

Forest and land fires in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, have generated thick smog that covers the forest canopy, Mongabay reported. The blazes are destroying vital habitats and pushing local primates close to extinction in the region. [1]

In response to the environmental crisis, Veterinarian Komara and team members from Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia are remaining on high alert on the front lines, according to Mongabay. The rescue team is actively working to protect and rescue threatened wildlife from the spreading flames. [1]

Orangutans are great apes native to the tropical rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia, currently found only in parts of Borneo and Sumatra. Borneo harbors high concentrations of biodiversity, including over 220 mammal species and endemic primates such as the Bornean orangutan. [4][5]

As HEROIC BREAKING NEWS reported earlier, animal rescue teams in Indonesia have been evacuating endangered Bornean orangutans trapped and injured by severe wildfires across the island. Dozens of apes have been rescued in recent months as El Nino conditions exacerbate fire risks across the territory. [6]