Fire roars across landscape in eastern part of Tanjung Puting National Park
OFI rangers fighting fire on eastern side of Tanjung Puting National Park
Please note that all photos are copyright OFI.
They say that a photo is worth a thousand words. Here is the equivalent of a few thousand words: photos of the fires that OFI is facing and fighting in 2009. The extreme droughts that enable human-made fires to blaze throughout Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo) and Sumatra seem to be much more frequent than they ever used to be. The last El Nino was in 2006 when over 50 of our OFI assistants fought the fires for almost two months before the fires were brought to a stop.
Some scientists believe that the increasing frequency of El Nino years is related to global climate change. Having lived in Borneo for several decades I suspect that this belief is true.
The eastern part of Tanjung Puting National Park, which is directly next to palm oil plantations, burned in 2006, making it particularly vulnerable to fire again in 2009. It is in this critical area of double jeoparty that the above photos of OFI rangers fighting the fires were taken. Once forest is repeatedly burned, secondary succession is deflected and it is very difficult for the tropical rain forest to return.
At least one thousand of the six thousand wild orangutans in Tanjung Puting National Park and its vicinity live on the eastern side of the Park where the fires are currently burning. It is crucial that these fires be stopped for the sake of wild orangutan populations and all wildlife in the area. OFI is doing all it can to make this happen but we need help and funding.
Professor, how’s it going? I had no idea you had a blog, I just randomly came across it while doing research on the forests of Kalimantan. Sorry to hear about all these fires, it’s terrible. Anyhow, I look to seeing you again, and to discussing the research proposal. It’s had to go on hold for while, but I’d still like to go over it with you, and then I can send it in. smartplantguy@gmail.com is the best way to get a hold of me, my phone’s currently out of order.
Talk to you soon!
Jamie
Dear Mrs.Birute,
It is horrible to hear about the fires near you. We are now in Malaysian Borneo, Sabah, the skies are hazy, misty, people here say that it is becouse of fires in Indonesia, but i bet, that some fires going on in Sabah too. We came here to see orangutangs, seeing them, we understand what a great work you do. All our Lithuanian friends keep asking us, if we will see Mrs.Birute, as we are in Borneo – alas, we are visiting just the Malaysian side. Maybe next time.
We have put the link of your blog to ours blog too – so more lithuanians could read it.
Best regards from Lithuanians traveling in Asia.
teach me to like orangutans!!!!!
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