Massive Wildfire Surge Threatens Over Half of Bornean Orangutan Habitat

Monitoring by Geopix revealed a sharp increase in fire hotspots across Kalimantan, reaching 17,375 in August 2026, up from far fewer in previous months. Of the 22,744 hotspots recorded between June 1 and August 28, 78.5% fell within the Bornean orangutan’s habitat. The fires have affected about 60.2% of the total 42,831,834 hectares, with the Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii subspecies suffering the greatest damage.

Critical pockets such as Muller-Schwaner, Western Schwaner and Seruyan-Sampit are identified for emergency response, while other areas require monitoring and restoration. Conservationists criticize the Indonesian government for inadequate fire mitigation and call for an emergency action plan to protect remaining populations.