Wildfires in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, are impacting wildlife by depleting freshwater sources. Ponds are becoming brackish and forest pools are drying up, forcing animals to seek water closer to human settlements and the coast.
Preliminary findings from NGO Yayasan Planet Indonesia have recorded at least 16 dead animals, including proboscis monkeys, between early August and late September. This figure significantly exceeds the number of recorded non-fish animal deaths from natural causes or unexplained reasons over nearly six years prior. Dehydrated wildlife has been observed moving towards villages and the coast as freshwater sources vanish. The NGO noted that when mangrove areas lose their fresh water, animals perish.
Source: Mongabay