Conservationists are rescuing orangutans from burning landscapes in Borneo as wildfires, fueled by an intensifying El Niño, spread across Indonesia. Yayasan International Animal Rescue Indonesia (YIARI) reported rescuing seven orangutans in August.
The Bornean orangutan is one of three critically endangered orangutan species native to Indonesia. An estimated 100,000 Bornean orangutans remained in the wild as of 2016, with a projected decline of around 86% between 1950 and 2025 attributed to habitat loss and killing. Wildfires, especially in peat forests, accelerate population declines.
Indonesian meteorologists anticipate an intense fire season continuing through October due to strengthening El Niño conditions.
Source: Mongabay