Indonesian Wildfires Threatening Orangutans Of Borneo
Wild fires that have been raging in Indonesia have completely covered large parts of the island nation with a thick smoky haze. Government officials are more concerned with how the smoke is affecting people who live in the area however the local population of orangutan that live on the island of Borneo have been hit particularly hard.
Smoke causing respiratory problems
The island of Borneo is a territory that is shared by Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia and serves as home to one of the world’s largest population of wild orangutans. It is estimated that as many as 20,000 of these great apes make their home on the island. According to the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF), smoke from the fires has led to the displacement of many orangutans and caused a number of smoke related health problems amongst the animals.
Fires burning since September
The Indonesian fires have been raging since September and have become so intense that last month satellites run by NASA captured dramatic images from space of the sprawling smoke. The fires were started by people trying to clear land for palm oil plantations and pulpwood by illegally burning down sections of the forest.
Hard to put out the fires
It has been particularly difficult to put out the fires because they have caught hold in areas filled with peat which is a type of soil that is rich in carbon and as a result is incredibly flammable. Peat is made up of partially decayed plant material and is the first step in the formation of coal. When burned it releases huge amounts of carbon monoxide and dioxide. It is hard to quell a peat fire because they tend to burn deep underground.
Young and old most vulnerable
The most vulnerable to smoke inhalation are baby orangutans and older apes. Conservationists have already rescued a number of baby orangutans that were suffering from acute respiratory problems says Monterado Fridman, a member of BOSF
“[The babies] get flu, cough and diarrhoea, and without intervention they collapse in one or two weeks,” Fridman told ABC Australia.
Species is endangered
The orangutans of Borneo are already classifieds as endangered. There are less than 70,000 of this species of great ape living in the wild around the world according to WWF. Orangutans play a critical role in the Indonesian forest ecosystem by helping to spread seeds around the forest which then go on to become young plants and trees.
Trying to save as many as possible
BOSF officials say the fires put the apes at greater risk than ever by eliminating more of their habitat and causing health problems that are difficult to resolve. It is also hard and dangerous to help these orangutans because they tend not to trust humans and are often found in unsafe locations near where forest fires are raging. It is difficult to sedate the animals and relocate them to safer parts of the forest or wildlife sanctuaries. For the moment however, BOSF officials say they are doing whatever they can to save as many orangutans as possible.
