Scientists have released eight orangutans back into the wild after wildfires threatened their summer homes on Borneo.
The group includes three mothers, their three offspring and two adult males. They were safeguarded in a protected reserve in the west of the island before being re‑introduced.
In August and September, Indonesian authorities rescued 46 orangutans from scorching brush. The fires were typical of the dry season but were unusually severe, thanks to the record‑setting El Niño phenomenon that made weather patterns hotter and drier.
The orangutans are critically endangered. Only about 104,000 remain in Borneo and Sumatra, down from over 230,000 a century ago, WWF reports.
Ly Karmele Llano Sanchez, CEO of International Animal Rescue Indonesia, said the relocation was essential because the animals’ original habitats became unsafe and did not have enough food after the blazes.
Among the rescues was Mama Nopi and her three children, who had been living in a coconut plantation near a rubber farm before being transferred in early September. Fires restricted their range, bringing them closer to villages and human danger.
The reserve chosen for the re‑introduction is rich in food, water and connected to other forest tracts, giving the orangutans a realistic chance of survival outside the cage.
Yiari’s Argitoe Ranting stressed that the goal is not just to move rescued animals, but to give them a lasting chance in their natural habitat.
