Indonesian wildfires threaten leading orangutan research site in Borneo
Critically endangered Bornean orangutans flee forests as staff at Cabang Panti work round the clock to stave off blaze
TL;DR
- Wildfires in Indonesia are nearing the Cabang Panti research station in Gunung Palung national park, a vital site for Bornean orangutan research.
- The fires are particularly dangerous due to an extreme El Niño, causing exceptionally hot and dry conditions, and were intentionally set to clear land.
- The research station holds decades of data on wild orangutans, including their exceptionally long reproduction cycle of one birth every eight years.
- Scientists fear the fires could destroy the intact lowland tropical rainforest, preventing understanding of ecosystem adaptation to climate shifts.
- A team is working to save the Rangkong research station by creating firebreaks and using a sprinkler system, but more resources like water bombing and skilled firefighters are needed.
- The survival of the orangutans, which require large ranges and live at low population densities, is directly threatened by habitat loss.
- The intense fire season is predicted to persist through October, with "hotspots everywhere" suggesting a widespread risk to forests.