Eight Rescued Orangutans Released Back Into the Wild in Borneo After Devastating Fires

Eight captive orangutans have been released back into the wild on the Indonesian island of Borneo after wildfires threatened their natural habitat during the summer.

Three Mothers, Three Daughters and Two Males Released

International Animal Rescue Indonesia (Yari) and Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry announced on Friday that the orangutans were released from a reserve in the western part of the island. The group included three mothers, their three daughters and two adult males.

Indonesian authorities rescued 46 orangutans from wildfires in August and September. Fires are common in the region during Indonesia’s dry season, but this year’s blazes have been particularly intense.

Wildfires Destroyed Orangutan Habitat

The fires destroyed surrounding forests, reducing access to food and pushing the orangutans closer to human communities. Yari CEO Carmele Llano Sánchez said relocating the eight orangutans to a sanctuary was a “necessary step” because their habitat was no longer safe.

Among those rescued were Mama Nopi and her children Nopi, Naufal and Nopan. The orangutans survived on coconuts and rubber plantations until they were rescued in early September, Yari said.

Orangutans Face Extinction

Great apes are on the verge of extinction. According to conservation group WWF, about 104,000 orangutans remain on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, down from more than 230,000 a century ago.

Indonesia experiences wildfires every summer, but the fires have become more intense this year as weather patterns have grown increasingly erratic and severe due to ocean warming caused by El Niño.