A record number of wildfires in Indonesia is posing a significant threat to orangutans rescued from animal traffickers. The flames have come perilously close to an animal rehabilitation centre in West Kalimantan, forcing staff to take drastic measures to protect the animals.
The centre, which is home to 60 orangutans, has been at the forefront of the battle against the fires. The flames moved rapidly from 1km away to within 100 metres of the perimeter within days, prompting staff to relocate the orangutans to enclosures in the middle of the centre. Indonesia authorities have water-bombed the forest to try to control the blaze, and teams from the centre joined the firefighting efforts as the air quality worsened.
The situation has been described as relentless by the centre’s director, Dr Karmele Llano Sánchez.
