Indonesia fires force rescue of dozens of orangutans

Dozens of critically endangered orangutans have been rescued from wildfires in Indonesia as smoke from blazes on Borneo and Sumatra spreads haze across parts of Southeast Asia, conservation groups said.

The West Kalimantan conservation agency and Indonesian non-profit YIARI said a team evacuated 51 orangutans from locations in the province from August 6 to October 19. Figures from Indonesia's forestry ministry suggested the number rescued in Kalimantan in recent months could be as high as 96.

The latest reported rescue came on Saturday, when three conservation agencies rescued a 20-year-old male orangutan in Hampangen village in Central Kalimantan on Borneo island. The agencies said the animal was sedated, examined by a medical team and taken to a rehabilitation centre.

The fires have caused months of pollution, closing schools, restricting outdoor activities and contributing to a rise in respiratory conditions among people and animals in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and East Timor.

Swiss-based air quality monitor IQAir ranked Singapore and Kuala Lumpur among the world's five most polluted major cities on Sunday. Indonesia's transport ministry said about 2,400 flights across the country had been affected by haze since mid-August because reduced visibility can cause delays, disruptions and cancellations.