Indonesia rescues orangutan weakened by smoke from Borneo fires

Rescuers found the adult male orangutan weak in an oil palm plantation on Borneo after it inhaled smoke from nearby fires. A team from Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry and the Indonesia Alliance for Rehabilitation Initiatives Foundation evacuated the animal after receiving a report of its presence.

The team found woodland around the plantation burning and attributed the orangutan’s condition to smoke exposure and dehydration. After sedating and examining it, rescuers moved the animal to a rehabilitation center, where it remains under observation and treatment. Images from the operation showed staff giving it oxygen and medication and cleaning its mouth.

The rescue unfolded as agricultural and forest fires affected several parts of Indonesia. Authorities sanctioned six companies the previous week over fires on land under their management and warned that permits could be revoked for companies linked to the burning. Borneo, shared by Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, is home to a major orangutan population.

Agricultural burning remains common in Indonesia’s palm oil plantations. Fires can continue underground for months in peatlands, particularly during the dry season, and smoke has worsened air quality in neighboring Malaysia. Indonesia recorded 546 forest fires in 2025 and 375 between January and August this year, according to the National Disaster Management Agency.