Orangutan mother and infant rescued from fire-hit area in Sampit

A female Bornean orangutan and her one-year-old offspring were rescued from a fire-hit area in Sampit on Wednesday, 2 September, while an adult male orangutan died in neighbouring West Kalimantan after being found severely weakened and struggling to breathe.

The pair, named Raya and Rayu, were found in Hutan Kota Sampit, Mentawa Baru Ketapang district, Kotawaringin Timur regency, an area still affected by smoke from forest and land fires.

Raya is estimated to be about 20 years old and Rayu about one year old. Both were assessed to be in relatively good condition after their rescue.

Rescue operation

The orangutans were first reported by a resident, Feri, after they were seen in a tree on burned land. Military personnel conducting fire patrols also spotted them in the area, near a community-owned oil palm plantation.

Muriansyah, head of the Sampit Resort of the Central Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), said officers went to the site at about noon after receiving a video report.

“Orangutans were first found in a tree on burned land,” he said.

The animals remained in the same tree after being seen in the morning. The surrounding area had been burned and was still producing smoke from peatland, which was believed to have prevented them from moving elsewhere.

Officers reported their findings to BKSDA officials in Pangkalan Bun and continued monitoring the animals while a rescue operation was arranged.

A rescue team from Pangkalan Bun arrived at about 8.30pm and began the evacuation.

“When the anaesthetic was administered, it was only then discovered that the orangutan had a baby,” Muriansyah said.

Raya and Rayu were taken to a safe location for physical examinations and further assessment.

No serious injuries found

Veterinarian Ichlasul Khaerul of Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) said the two orangutans remained active and responsive after the evacuation.

“After we carried out the evacuation, evaluation and observation, thankfully their condition still appeared to be good,” Ichlasul said, as quoted by detikKalimantan.

The pair had been exposed to smoke, but initial examinations showed no severe effects. Ichlasul said severe smoke exposure would normally cause symptoms including weakness, lack of responsiveness or lying in a nest.

“The activity of the two orangutans is one of the indicators. During the evacuation and anaesthesia process, both still responded,” he said.

No burns, open wounds, impact injuries or injuries from broken trees were found.

The team was monitoring the animals for possible dehydration because of the heat and fire conditions. Blood and hair samples were collected for laboratory tests.

Raya and Rayu were due to be taken to BKSDA's SKW II facility in Pangkalan Bun for further treatment. The health assessment will help determine whether they can be translocated to a habitat designated by BKSDA.

Male orangutan dies after rescue

The rescue came days after Sempurna, an adult male Bornean orangutan, died in Ketapang regency, West Kalimantan.

Sempurna, previously referred to as Sampurna, was found at about 7am on 30 August in Sempurna Hamlet, Kuala Satong village, Matan Hilir Utara district.

Rescuers gave him oxygen and intravenous fluids before taking him to a YIARI rehabilitation centre, but his condition deteriorated.

He developed increasingly shallow breathing and undetectable oxygen saturation before being pronounced dead at 3.20pm, about four hours after arriving. 

“We deeply regret that Sempurna could not be saved,” said West Kalimantan BKSDA head Murlan Dameria Pane.

A 1 September necropsy found abnormalities in his lungs, heart and kidneys. Lung congestion and partial atelectasis were suspected to be linked to smoke exposure, which may have caused acute hypoxia and contributed to cardiovascular failure and his death.