President orders swift fire suppression and orangutan rescue in West Kalimantan

President Prabowo Subianto instructed the government to hasten fire containment and protect wildlife amid widespread forest and land fires in Indonesia’s Kalimantan and Sumatra regions. Minister Antoni explained that the Ministry of Forestry is enhancing fire-management operations while coordinating the rescue of Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) in West Kalimantan. The directive also emphasizes the use of face masks and preparedness of health facilities for affected communities.

To safeguard the animals, patrols and outreach programs are being stepped up, and a hotline has been set up for citizens to report orangutans that stray into residential areas. Rescued orangutans will be returned to designated safe forest sites promptly, with spacing to respect territorial behavior. The fires are linked to a severe dry season driven by a strong El Niño event.