Oil palm plantations destroy Bornean orangutan habitats

The scars of deforestation are starkly visible in Sungai Senunuk village, West Kalimantan, where oil palm seedlings have replaced dense forests. A lone excavator sits abandoned amidst felled trees and stumps, a testament to the rapid land clearing that has occurred over the past year. The affected area is situated just about 10 kilometers north of Danau Sentarum National Park.

Residents like Paulus Bruindo, a 34-year-old from a neighboring village, noticed the heavy equipment clearing land behind the forest last year. However, it was only in early 2026 that he realized the clearing had reached the roadside. This expansion directly impacts the habitat of endangered species.

Global Forest Watch monitoring platforms recorded over 71,000 alerts for disturbances in primary forests across Kapuas Hulu Regency in 2025, indicating widespread deforestation. The highest concentration of these alerts appeared in the primary forest north of Danau Sentarum National Park, precisely where oil palm plantations have now been established.

This environmental destruction has broader implications for wildlife conservation in the region. Related reports highlight other threats to orangutans, including landslides caused by extreme rainfall and concerns over financing schemes for national parks that critics argue amount to handing out concessions. The ongoing push for carbon economic value mechanisms also risks neglecting emission reduction targets in the forestry sector, further endangering species like the orangutan.

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But I only realized early this year that the clearing had reached the roadside.