Ira the orangutan rescued after Kalimantan wildfires leave her searching for food

KUCHING: The forest she once called home has been ravaged by fire. Now, Ira is searching for food amid what remains.

The female orangutan, estimated to be around 20 years old, was found in a fire-damaged forest in Sampit, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, on Wednesday (Oct 14).

Residents reportedly spotted Ira searching for food before alerting authorities, raising concerns that the wildfires had left her struggling to survive in her natural habitat.

A joint rescue team from Indonesia’s Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) and Animal Rescue Sampit eventually brought her to safety, using anaesthesia and a net to carefully lower her from a tree.

There was some relief when initial examinations found no visible injuries or apparent breathing difficulties, despite concerns that she had been exposed to wildfire smoke.

But Ira’s ordeal may have taken another toll. Rescuers suspected she was suffering from hunger after examining her abdomen.

For now, Ira is safe. She will undergo further medical examinations before being relocated to a new environment.

Her rescue is one of many reminders of the wildlife caught in Indonesia’s forest fires. As of Oct 8, authorities had reportedly rescued 232 wild animals affected by the blazes.

The hope for the 20-year-old Orangutan now is that she can recover and return to a life where finding food no longer means wandering through a burned forest.