Disaster

51 Orangutans Evacuated from W. Kalimantan Fires, 90% Habitat Lost

Stateline MEDIA Newsroom•October 20, 2026•3 min read

A joint team rescued 51 orangutans from wildfire zones in Ketapang and North Kayong, West Kalimantan. Over 90% of PT KALE's conservation habitat was burned; one died from smoke exposure.

Key Facts

Sebanyak 51 orangutan dievakuasi tim gabungan BKSDA Kalimantan Barat dan YIARI dari kawasan terdampak karhutla di Kabupaten Ketapang dan Kayong Utara sejak 6 Agustus hingga 10 Oktober 2026.
Lebih 90 persen kawasan bernilai konservasi tinggi (HCV) milik PT KALE terbakar menurut analisis citra satelit 1 Agustus–25 September 2026; 30 dari 51 orangutan berasal dari dalam maupun sekitar perkebunan PT KALE.
Empat orangutan dievakuasi dalam operasi terbaru pada 10 dan 16 Oktober 2026: Lusi dan Riri (remaja betina tanpa induk), serta Mama Rian dan Rian (induk dan anak).
Lusi ditemukan stres berat, kurus, dehidrasi, dengan luka terbuka yang diduga akibat gigitan satwa; Riri ditemukan ketakutan di pohon kelapa sawit tanpa tanda keberadaan induknya.
Orangutan bernama Sempurna mati pada 30 Agustus 2026 diduga akibat paparan asap karhutla; delapan orangutan yang dinyatakan sehat ditranslokasi ke Hutan Lindung Batu Nyambu pada 9 Oktober 2026.

51 Orangutans Evacuated from Fire Zones

A total of 51 orangutans have been evacuated by a joint team from the West Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA - Balai Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam) and International Animal Rescue Indonesia Foundation (YIARI - Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia) from forest and land fire areas in Ketapang and North Kayong Regencies. The rescue operation was conducted from August 6 to October 10, 2026.

More than half, specifically 30 individuals, were found in and around the oil palm plantation of PT KALE. Based on satellite imagery analysis from August 1 to September 25, 2026, over 90 percent of PT KALE's High Conservation Value (HCV) area has burned, destroying the habitat of Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) that was previously estimated to be home to around 150 individuals.

Condition of Lusi, Riri, Mama Rian, and Rian

In the latest operations on October 10 and 16, 2026, the team evacuated four orangutans in Ketapang Regency: two juvenile females named Lusi and Riri, as well as a mother and infant named Mama Rian and Rian. Lusi and Riri were found without their mothers in PT KALE's HCV area in Laman Satong Village, while Mama Rian and Rian were rescued from a resident's garden in Riam Berasap Village.

CEO of YIARI and wildlife veterinarian Karmele Llano Sanchez stated that Lusi was found severely stressed, emaciated, dehydrated, and covered in scratches as well as open wounds suspected to be animal bites. 'Lusi looked very stressed and extremely thin. She probably went days without any food in this destroyed forest,' she said.

Meanwhile, Riri was discovered terrified in an oil palm tree with no sign of her mother. This condition is alarming, as orangutan infants generally stay with their mothers until they are around 6–7 years old.

One Orangutan Dead, Conflict Risks Rise

One orangutan named Sempurna was reported dead on August 30, 2026, after being found unconscious in Kuala Satong Village, Ketapang. Pathological examination revealed lung damage suspected to be linked to wildfire smoke exposure.

The loss of forest canopy has left orangutans without shelter and food sources, forcing some animals into plantations or residential settlements in order to survive. This displacement heightens the risk of human-wildlife conflict.

Eight orangutans deemed healthy began being translocated on October 9, 2026, to the Batu Nyambu Protection Forest in Ketapang Regency. The BKSDA and YIARI teams continue rescue operations as several affected orangutans still require evacuation and urgent medical treatment.