Orangutan Enters Plantation Due to Surrounding Forest Fires
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24 September 2019 08:22 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The West Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) has rescued one orangutan at Kuala Satong, North Ketapang, after the endangered animal entered a local resident’s rubber plantation due to its habitat being damaged by forest fires.
The evacuation was conducted by the local BKSDA and the help of the Region 1 Conservation Section (SKW) Ketapang, and the IAR Indonesia Foundation.
“The orangutan is a seven-year-old male, which was rescued on Saturday,” said IAR Indonesia Field Manager Argitoe Ranting on Monday, September 23.
According to Ranting, the orangutan was first seen entering the local plantation that is fortunately used to a similar situation which was followed by the summoning of an orangutan protecting unit (OPU) from IAR Indonesia.
“[The orangutan] fled to the plantation vicinity due to forest fires in its vicinity. We did not have any other alternative than to capture it and translocate it to a safe forest,” said Ranting.
He further revealed that the area of Kuala Satong – that directly borders the Mount Palung National Park – used to have plenty of orangutan habitats and dense forests. However, all of the aforementioned steadily decreased following converted forests into palm oil plantations.
The orangutan was in a sad state in the evacuation with an extremely dehydrated thin body and several injuries to its right leg due to a rope that tied its leg.
ANTARA