Protecting proboscis monkeys amid the threat of forest and land fires

A proboscis monkey perched in a tree became the focus of a habitat patrol in Panjaratan village, Tanah Laut, South Kalimantan, as officials respond to a rising fire threat.

The South Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency has tightened patrols and monitoring during the dry season. Officials are working to anticipate the effects of forest and land fires on the ecosystem and to ensure that wildlife remains in safe habitat.

The proboscis monkey, known scientifically as Nasalis larvatus, is an endemic and protected species of Kalimantan. It depends on wetland forest habitat to survive, and damage to that habitat remains a serious threat to its population.

The patrol also covered other wildlife. A lutung, or hirangan monkey, was photographed carrying its young while perched in a tree. With fire risks rising again in several parts of South Kalimantan, habitat monitoring has become a key part of protecting the ecosystem and wildlife from the effects of fire.