Disaster

Confused Orangutan in Burned Forest in C. Kalimantan Rescued

Stateline MEDIA Newsroom•October 19, 2026•3 min read

Central Kalimantan's BKSDA conservation agency rescued an orangutan seen wandering in confusion across a burned forest area at kilometer 14 of the Pangkalan Bun-Kolam road in Kotawaringin Barat on Sunday (10/18/2026). The animal is believed to have lost its habitat to forest fires; a UGM expert says 57,000 orangutans in Kalimantan are threatened, 60 percent of them severely affected.

Key Facts

BKSDA Kalimantan Tengah mengevakuasi seekor orang utan di kilometer 14 Jalan Pangkalan Bun-Kolam, Kabupaten Kotawaringin Barat, pada Minggu (18/10/2026) sore.
Satwa tersebut terlihat berjalan kebingungan dengan gerakan tidak biasa di area bekas kebakaran hutan dan lahan selama beberapa hari.
Tim memantau pergerakan orang utan selama sekitar dua jam sebelum melakukan evakuasi, kata Camat Kotawaringin Lama Trias Agung Wibowo.
Kepala Seksi KSDA Wilayah II Pangkalan Bun Handi Nasoka menyebut keberadaan orang utan di dekat jalan raya membahayakan satwa maupun pengguna jalan.
Guru Besar FKH UGM Prof Dr Drh Raden Wisnu Nurcahyo menyebut karhutla mengancam sekitar 57.000 orang utan di Kalimantan, 60 persen di antaranya terdampak berat kehilangan habitat.
Sebelumnya, jasad seekor orang utan dilaporkan mengapung di Sungai Kumai, Kotawaringin Barat; BKSDA dan OFI menyisir sungai pada Rabu (14/10/2026).

Rescued After Two Hours of Monitoring

The Central Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) successfully rescued an orangutan seen wandering in confusion at kilometer 14 of the Pangkalan Bun-Kolam road in West Kotawaringin Regency on Sunday afternoon (10/18/2026). The animal had been spotted roaming around the road for several days, moving in ways witnesses described as unusual.

Kotawaringin Lama Sub-district Head Trias Agung Wibowo said the team monitored the orangutan's movements for about two hours before finally rescuing it. "After staking out for two hours, the orangutan seen several days ago at kilometer 14 of the Pangkalan Bun-Kolam road was finally rescued together with the Central Kalimantan BKSDA team this afternoon," Trias said.

Handi Nasoka, head of the Natural Resources Conservation (KSDA) Section for Region II Pangkalan Bun, confirmed officers had been deployed to the location. He said an orangutan near a highway must be handled under proper conservation procedures because it could endanger both the animal and passing motorists. Follow-up steps will consider the animal's health and a safe location for it.

Believed to Have Lost Its Habitat to Forest Fires

The orangutan's appearance in a burned forest and land (karhutla) area is believed to be linked to the loss of its habitat and food sources. When fire strips a forest of vegetation, wildlife may move closer to human activity in search of food and water.

Residents grew concerned over behavior they described as unusual. The orangutan was seen pacing around the traffic lane for several days, raising fears the animal was distressed or unwell in its environment.

Officers urged residents not to feed or directly interact with wild animals. Improper interaction can endanger people and alter the natural behavior of animals that belong in forest habitats.

57,000 Orangutans Threatened in Kalimantan

The impact of forest fires on orangutan populations turns out to be vast. Prof. Dr. Drh. Raden Wisnu Nurcahyo, a professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Gadjah Mada University (UGM), said forest and land fires in Kalimantan threaten around 57,000 orangutans, with 60 percent of them severely affected by habitat loss.

According to Wisnu, fires destroy not only homes but also food and water sources for orangutans. Habitat destruction forces the animals down from the trees to seek basic needs on ground that remains dangerous from lingering embers. He explained that peatland can store embers beneath the surface, so an orangutan's feet risk burn injuries when walking over it.

Wisnu delivered the remarks in a UGM podcast on forest-fire handling, as reported by detikcom on Sunday (10/18/2026).

Dead Orangutan Found in Kumai River

The confused orangutan in Kotawaringin Barat is not the only grim wildlife news this fire season. Earlier, the carcass of an orangutan was reported floating in the Kumai River in West Kotawaringin Regency. News of the discovery circulated on social media on Thursday (10/13/2026).

Following up on the report, the Central Kalimantan BKSDA and the Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) swept the Kumai River on Wednesday (10/14/2026). The string of incidents is a reminder that forest fires are not only about environmental damage, but a real threat to the survival of wildlife losing shelter and food sources.