KETAPANG, thekabarnews.com—Conservation officers have translocated two male Bornean orangutans named Adil and Gigih to a safer forest area in Ketapang after fires damaged their habitat and left them struggling to find food.

The West Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) conducted the operation with Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia (YIARI) on Saturday, Oct. 24. Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni observed the animals’ release alongside conservation workers and security personnel.

The team had rescued Adil and Gigih a day earlier from a high-conservation-value area within an oil palm plantation near Laman Satong village. Fire had damaged trees that provided food and shelter. Therefore, the remaining habitat became unsuitable for the animals.

Veterinary workers estimated that Adil was more than eight years old, while Gigih was over 10. Gigih appeared thin and dehydrated when rescuers found him in a tree about 20 meters above the ground. The team provided medical treatment and fluids before moving him. Examiners also found a small wound on Adil’s left thigh.

Officials transferred the orangutans to a forested section of PT Mohairson Pawan Khatulistiwa’s concession near Sungai Awan Kiri village. Government records place the village in Muara Pawan district, rather than Delta Pawan. The team selected the destination because it offered safer habitat away from active fire zones.

“While we are delighted that these orangutans have been rescued from the oil palm plantation, it is sad to realize that there remains a lot of work ahead of us for orangutans,” Raja Juli said, according to Antara.

The operation adds to a growing number of wildlife rescues during West Kalimantan’s 2026 fire emergency. Data attributed to BKSDA West Kalimantan and YIARI show that teams evacuated 55 orangutans from Ketapang and North Kayong between Aug. 6 and Oct. 23. Rescuers found 32 of them within or near oil palm plantations.

The figures indicate a sharp increase in rescue activity. On Sept. 16, YIARI reported that teams had evacuated 21 orangutans and 12 other wild animals from fire-affected areas in the two regencies.

The Bornean orangutan, scientifically known as Pongo pygmaeus, is legally protected in Indonesia and classified as critically endangered. Habitat loss and fragmentation continue to increase the risk of encounters between orangutans and people.

“Hopefully, the release of these two orangutans will strengthen our shared commitment to protecting this species and its forests,” Raja Juli said.

The rescue gave Adil and Gigih a safer place to live. However, the number of animals displaced since August shows that emergency relocation alone cannot secure the species’ future. Preventing fires and protecting connected forest habitat remain essential to reducing further displacement.