A young Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) captured by a camera trap in the Mendawak Biodiversity Corridor, West Kalimantan, Indonesia, on 9 November 2025. Photo: Sangga Bumi Lestari.
The emergency
Forest and peatland fires have severely damaged habitat for Critically Endangered Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) in the Mendawak Biodiversity Corridor, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. By September 2026, approximately 65% of the forest within four community-managed Village Forests had burned, threatening critical connections between orangutan habitats. These forests, home to an estimated 63 orangutans, provide important links to surrounding forest areas. Further habitat loss could leave orangutans isolated in fragmented forests, increasing their risk of displacement and conflict with humans. Urgent action is needed to safeguard remaining forest connections and prevent further habitat fragmentation.
Results
Reports
AT A GLANCE
Organisation: Sangga Bumi Lestari
Country: Indonesia
Year project started: 2026
Species: Bornean Orangutan