Indonesian wildfires leave orangutans starving as haze persists

Indonesia is facing one of its worst wildfire seasons, with about one million hectares of land burned so far this year. The fires have sent a toxic haze across parts of Southeast Asia, pushing air pollution to unhealthy levels in areas of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines.

In central Kalimantan, outside Palangka Raya, the haze is thick and air quality has fallen to hazardous levels. Much of the smoke comes from peatland fires. The peat burns deep underground and keeps smouldering after the surface flames are out. People in Kalimantan have lived with these conditions for months. The government has recorded hundreds of thousands of respiratory cases linked to the fires.

The haze has also become the backdrop to Singapore's Formula 1 weekend. The city's 24-hour air quality average has been in the unhealthy range, and on Wednesday it was briefly the world's most polluted major city. The smell of smoke is in the air, and there is a lingering burning taste. Organisers say the race will go ahead as planned with no changes. More than 300,000 fans are expected, along with drivers and performers. Health advice urges people to cut outdoor activity, with children and older people told to stay home. Drivers already face cockpit temperatures of up to 60C, and racegoers will be outside in about 30C heat for three days.

The fires are also threatening Indonesia's orangutans. Rescue charity YIARI normally saves five orangutans a year. It has rescued 55 in the past two months. One of them is a baby called Irene. She and her mother were found in a High Conservation Value forest area of an old palm company that had been wiped out by flames. They may have gone days or weeks without food, drink or shelter. The baby was starving and very skinny. After about four weeks at a rescue centre, both are doing better.

Rescuers say about 60% of orangutan habitat in Kalimantan may have been lost, according to a report last month, and the true figure could be higher because fires are still burning. Entire populations may have been fragmented. The rescue centre is full, so staff are building more cages and moving some animals to safer forest. Next week they plan to take 10 orangutans to a safe forest area. The charity says it is in a race against time to rescue animals still alive and that some could starve to death. It also says burned areas will need a recovery and restoration plan.