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Related Information:

Haze Alert Update (Provided by WWF Malaysia)

Threatened Species: Orang-utan

Indonesian Fires: 30 Orangutans Dead, Other Species Threatened


Indonesian Fires Distress Leads People to Kill Orangutans

WWF Appeals For Emergency Relief

October 30, 1997

(en español)

Orang utan
GLAND, Switzerland -- Lack of food and water due to the raging Indonesian forest fires has driven people and wildlife to compete for survival, according to WWF- World Wide Fund For Nature.

"Villagers, who are suffering from famine and serious respiratory ailments, are so desperate that they are killing the orangutans who are fleeing the forests and foraging in their fields and gardens," said Elizabeth Kemf, Species Information Officer at WWF International. "As their suffering increases, so does their resentment of animals which they would not normally kill."

Burning farm According to Willie Smits, advisor to the Forestry Ministry (on orangutan affairs) over 1000 orangutans have probably been affected by the fire, and several hundred may have died already in the Kalimantan jungles of Borneo.

Orang utan At least 138 orangutans are on the "waiting list" to be admitted into the Wanariset rescue centre, which is run by the Balikpapan Orangutan Society, with some WWF support. The centre is already sheltering 120 animals, some of whom have been treated for fatal wounds.

"It is getting more difficult for people to buy fruit and vegetables. The lakes are drying up. Boats are running into each other in the thick haze and crashing into the dried stumps sticking up in the lakes," added Ms Kemf.

man pushing cart Chain saws are the latest means of killing the orangutans. Trees harbouring frightened animals are cut down - then the mother orangutans are hacked to death - and the babies taken into captivity for sale into the illegal wildlife and pet trade. Female orangutans spend 95 per cent of their life in trees where they are normally safe from attacks. In the past 20 years, about 80 per cent of orangutan habitat has been lost.

man in burning field "It is not just a loss of orangutans and other threatened species but the permanent damage being done to their protected forest homes," said Barita Manullang of WWF Indonesia. "WWF, along with many other national and international organizations, is trying to meet the crisis. But we need big help. We appeal to all governments and international aid agencies to come forth to support the WWF Indonesia's Forest Fires Emergency Relief plan."

Kid with a firehose A team of WWF scientists and other Indonesian NGOs will conduct emergency surveys - that will take at least several months to assess the fire damage and its effects on wildlife. "The first area that we will survey is in Central Kalimantan in a large peat swamp forest where two small patches of forest remain. We want to defend those two small chunks of orangutan habitat and have them declared officially as protected areas," added Barita Manullang.

For more information, please call Katarina Panji at +62 217 20 3095 or
Someshwar Singh at +41 22 3649553.
For photos, please fax WWF Photolibrary at +41 22 364 4771.

Pictures credit
"WWF/Tantyo Bangun"