A 20-year-old male orangutan named Sampurna was found collapsed in a palm-oil plantation in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, on Sunday morning, struggling to breathe as thick smoke from nearby forest fires filled the area.

Sampurna was found by a local resident at around 6am on August 30 in Laman Satong Village, Matan Hilir Utara District. He was already in a weak condition when residents reported the animal to authorities.

A joint team from the West Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) and the Indonesian Orangutan Rehabilitation Initiative Foundation (YIARI) was sent to the location.

When the rescuers arrived, smoke was still hanging heavily around the plantation. Fires had been burning in the surrounding area, raising concerns that Sampurna had been forced out of his forest habitat.

“Due to the forest and land fires, the orangutan is believed to have moved away from its habitat and ended up in the plantation area,” said Sarbandi, a staff member of BKSDA West Kalimantan’s Conservation Section I in Ketapang.

Sampurna was sedated to allow the team to safely evacuate him. YIARI’s veterinary team then provided oxygen and intravenous fluids after finding signs of respiratory distress.

Initial examinations found no open wounds or burns on his body. Instead, the team suspected that prolonged exposure to thick smoke had affected his breathing.

YIARI veterinarian Komara said smoke from forest and land fires contains particles and substances that can enter the respiratory system and interfere with lung function. Severe exposure can lead to hypoxia, a condition in which the body does not receive enough oxygen.

“Further examinations are still needed to determine the extent of the impact on his health,” Komara said.

Sampurna was later taken to YIARI’s Orangutan Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Sungai Awan Kiri, where he will undergo further medical examinations and treatment.

The rescue comes as fires continue to threaten orangutan habitat in Ketapang. Sampurna was the seventh orangutan rescued by BKSDA West Kalimantan and YIARI during August amid the ongoing forest and land fires.

Several other orangutans had previously been evacuated from villages in Ketapang after fires affected areas close to their habitat.

Argitoe Ranting, YIARI’s operational director, said rescue and veterinary teams had been placed on 24-hour standby as fires continued to burn in several areas.

The case also highlights a less visible danger faced by wildlife during forest fires.

For animals caught in a fire, the threat is not always flames or burns. Thick smoke can travel far beyond the immediate fire zone, forcing wildlife out of its habitat and exposing them to potentially serious respiratory problems.

For Sampurna, the immediate priority is recovery.

Once his health is stable, conservation teams will assess whether he is fit to return to the wild.