The vast deforested area has made the survival of orangutans more difficult, while rescue has always been the last option
Pontianak, W Kalimantan (ANTARA) - The West Kalimantan Natural Conservation Agency (BKSDA) and the International Animal Rescue (IAR) Indonesia rescued two orangutans stranded in Ketapang District after a forest fire forced them to flee in late 2019.

"Two orangutans, one female and her baby, were rescued by a joint team of the West Kalimantan BKSDA and IAR Indonesia on Pelang-Tumbang Titi Street Kilometer 9, South Matan Hilir Sub-district of Ketapang," Manager of Survey, Release and Monitoring of IAR Indonesia, Argitoe Ranting, noted in a statement here on Thursday.

The team rescued the orangutans after receiving information from a resident, who had spotted three orangutans roaming in front of his house in the past three days.

The protected animals had allegedly fled a fire that ravaged their forest habitat near the location.

The rescue team found a male, female, and three-year-old orangutan clinging onto a tree that was dried up.

"They clung onto a dry tree. The rescue team has focused more on the female orangutan and her baby but lost the male orangutan," he stated.

"The male orangutan was still quite strong, and hopefully, he would be able to survive longer. However, we also deployed the Orangutan Protection Unit (OPU)," Ranting added.

Ranting stated that the female and baby orangutan were suffering from malnutrition probably since they did not have sufficient food for months.

They were brought to IAR's Orangutan Rehabilitation Center in Sungai Awan, Ketapang District, before they could be released into the forest.

"Forest fire has become a serious threat for orangutans in the working area of IAR Indonesia," IAR Indonesia Program Director Karmele L. Sanchez pointed out.

The vast deforested area has made the survival of orangutans more difficult, while rescue has always been the last option, Sanchez stated. Related news: Dozens of orangutans afflicted with acute respiratory tract infection

Related news: Indonesian forest fire chokes millions of people, animals

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Translator: Andilala. Sri Haryati
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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