Wildfires claim 12 endangered proboscis monkeys in Kalimantan

Twelve critically endangered proboscis monkeys have perished in wildfires ravaging forest areas across Kalimantan in Indonesian Borneo, marking a substantial blow to a local population numbering around 60 individuals. The losses represent approximately one-fifth of the group's total count in the affected region.

Proboscis monkeys are endemic to the island of Borneo and are among the world's most threatened primates. The species is distinguished by its large, distinctive nose and reddish-brown colouring, and survives in increasingly fragmented pockets of coastal swamp forests and riverine habitats.

The Kalimantan wildfires, which have intensified during the dry season, continue to destroy vast tracts of forest across the region. Environmental groups have raised alarm over the cascading impact on biodiversity, with multiple species of flora and fauna facing displacement and mortality as flames consume their habitats.

Conservation efforts for proboscis monkeys have long faced challenges due to habitat loss from deforestation and land conversion. The latest losses from the wildfires add to mounting pressures threatening the species' long-term survival in the wild. Authorities have not yet provided detailed assessments of the full extent of damage to primate populations across affected areas.