Indonesian Fires Distress Leads People to Kill Orangutans
WWF Appeals For Emergency Relief
October 30, 1997
(en español)

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."
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.
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.
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.
"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."
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"
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