• An orangutan named Sampurna was found weak on a palm-oil plantation in West Kalimantan, Indonesia.
• The animal is suffering from respiratory illness due to heavy smoke from widespread forest fires.
• Over 202,000 hectares of land have burned in Indonesia since January, prompting school closures and health warnings.

On Sunday morning, Jais, a farmer in Ketapang, West Kalimantan on Borneo island, found an orangutan weak on a palm-oil plantation near a recent fire site. Jais stated, "It was very weak, then I gave it water," which reflects the immediate concern for the animal's health amidst the ongoing environmental crisis according to Reuters, Channel News Asia, and South China Morning Post.

Indonesia has heightened efforts to tackle the haze from forest and land fires across six provinces in Borneo and Sumatra, as the resulting smoke has triggered respiratory illnesses, prompting many schools to move classes online. Wildfires have devastated at least 202,010 hectares of land since January, which is an increase from the 107,465 hectares burned by the end of June according to Reuters, Channel News Asia, and South China Morning Post.

After discovering the orangutan, Jais and other villagers called for immediate help. Two hours later, the Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia wildlife foundation sent a team, including a veterinarian, to treat the animal, which had fainted by that point. The orangutan was named Sampurna, after the village where it was found according to Reuters, Channel News Asia, and South China Morning Post.

The foundation's CEO, Karmele Llano Sanchez, explained that the orangutan suffered from hypoxia due to the thick smoke in the area. The veterinarian, Komara, confirmed that while there were no severe burn-related injuries, the animal exhibited breathing difficulties and had vomited, indicating it was likely suffering from an acute respiratory infection. Sampurna was given oxygen and fluids via an intravenous drip according to Reuters, Channel News Asia, and South China Morning Post.

Following treatment, Sampurna will be moved to a rehabilitation center for further care and will eventually be released back into the wild once fully recovered. So far, the foundation has rescued seven orangutans due to the fires. Sanchez stressed the need for the government to address not only the fires but also the long-term effects on public health, forests, and wildlife according to Reuters, Channel News Asia, and South China Morning Post.