Nine rescued orangutans return to the wild in Borneo

Nine orangutans rescued from wildfires in Indonesian Borneo have returned to the wild after weeks of rehabilitation. On October 29, conservationists released them into Batu Nyambu, a 23,000-hectare protected area in West Kalimantan province.

The apes were rescued in August and September as fires swept through Ketapang. Some had burns on their hands and feet, and some were underweight and malnourished, according to the YIARI wildlife rehabilitation foundation. They spent four to eight weeks receiving care and food at a rehabilitation centre, regaining enough strength for release.

Reaching their new home meant travelling by car and kayak, then trekking for hours over steep, slippery ground. Workers carried the orangutans in cages suspended from poles. Once a cage opened, a mother and her baby quickly climbed into the trees and disappeared into the canopy.

The group included four mothers with their young. Final health checks revealed that three of the mothers were pregnant again. The team plans to remain nearby to check on Mama Ocha, one of the pregnant mothers, and support her return to the wild.

Orangutans remain critically endangered, and fires continue to threaten their habitat. Conservationists chose Batu Nyambu because its largely untouched forest offers abundant food and shelter, giving the rescued animals a place to recover beyond the rehabilitation centre.