Orangutans Saved From Indonesia Forest Fires

More than 200 orangutans in Indonesia have been transferred to an artificial island to save them from raging forest fires.

At least 100 hectares of forest reserve within the animals' sanctuary in Samboja Lestari are on fire, with the region's hazardous haze spreading across the land.

The fires started on Sunday and firefighters are reported to be still struggling to contain them, the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF) said on its website.

All 209 orangutans are now on "Orangutan Island" an artificial island surrounded by a canal that is situated within the sanctuary.

A vet at the sanctuary said the fire was not presenting a threat to the adult animals.

She said: "The effects of this forest fire could generate upper respiratory infection diseases, or what is well known as ISPA. We have already conducted general check ups on our orangutans here and none of them show the symptoms, and hopefully it will not happen."

The babies, however, could be affected because their immune systems are not yet strong enough to fight such extreme conditions - six of 13 babies being cared for in another reserve are being treated for acute respiratory infections and eye infections.

There is no present plan to evacuate the orangutans from the sanctuary.

The same vet said: "At this moment, we will not be evacuating (from the sanctuary), as you know the smoke is still concentrated in that area and here we are still safe, and hopefully the smoke or fire will not reach this area.

"But if this area is affected by fire, yes we will (evacuate)."

The charity was set up in 1991 to conserve and protect the Borean orangutan and its habitat. It currently takes care of 750 animals.

Kalimantan and Sumatra island, on west Indonesia, are the worst-affected areas by forest fires, which are caused by "slash-and-burn" land clearing practices.