Conservationists are racing against time to rescue six Bornean orangutans trapped inside a fire-ravaged High Conservation Value peat-swamp forest within an RSPO-certified oil palm concession in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, according to local reports. At least five orangutans have already been evacuated by the Indonesian NGO Yayasan International Animal Rescue Indonesia, while massive fires continue to threaten wildlife across the region amid a strengthening El Niño climate pattern.
The affected 657-hectare forest sits inside the PT Kayung Agro Lestari concession in Ketapang district. According to satellite analysis by technology consultancy TheTreeMap, major fires began on August 8 along a canal at the plantation’s edge before spreading westward into the conservation zone. The area previously supported an estimated 50 to 60 Bornean orangutans, alongside diverse wildlife including around 360 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, according to biologist Erik Meijaard of Borneo Futures.
Operations on the ground remain dangerous. YIARI spokesperson Heribertus Suciadi reported that search teams faced delayed entry when security held them outside company premises on September 14. Once inside, crews encountered thick smoke, poor visibility, fallen tree trunks, and dangerously hot ground where decomposed peat can conceal active underground embers.
The rescue efforts in Ketapang extend beyond a single concession. YIARI teams and provincial conservation authorities, including the BKSDA, have responded to multiple evacuation alerts across West Kalimantan. On August 30, residents discovered a weakened adult male named Sampurna near an oil palm plantation. Despite being evacuated to YIARI’s rehabilitation center in Sungai Awan Kiri, the animal died hours later after showing symptoms of severe smoke exposure and hypoxia, according to veterinarian Komara.
Concession Certification and Industry Oversight Concerns
PT Kayung Agro Lestari has maintained certification from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil since 2019. David Gaveau, founder of TheTreeMap, argued that the certification should have protected the habitat and called for an urgent, independent investigation, suggesting the RSPO certification should be suspended pending the inquiry’s outcome.
First Resources, which acquired the plantation assets in March 2025 through PT Austindo Nusantara Jaya Tbk, maintains a strict zero-burning policy across all planting operations. However, Meijaard noted that fires were previously rare when the company funded local villages to maintain a zero-burning arrangement, a financial incentive system that was later halted.
Outlook for Fire-Affected Ecosystems
Indonesian meteorologists warn that elevated wildfire risks will persist through October as a strengthening El Niño brings hotter, drier conditions across the region. Peat landscapes, which store massive amounts of carbon, face extreme vulnerability once drained and dried, increasing the likelihood of prolonged blazes that threaten both endangered species and local air quality.
Did You Know? The fire-affected peat-swamp forest was utilized in October 2015 to release four orangutans previously rescued by YIARI as part of long-term population sustainability efforts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many orangutans remain stranded in the concession?
According to YIARI, five orangutans have been successfully rescued, and six additional individuals located during a September 16 operation remain in the forest awaiting rescue.
What caused the fires to spread into the conservation area?
Satellite analysis by TheTreeMap indicates that a major fire started on August 8 along a canal at the edge of the oil palm plantation before spreading westward into the High Conservation Value forest.
What is the status of the PT Kayung Agro Lestari concession?
The concession is owned by First Resources, has been certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil since 2019, and is facing calls from analysts for an independent investigation and certification suspension following the extensive fires.
How can localized community incentive programs be better structured to prevent agricultural fires in peatland habitats?
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