A viral video showing a confused orangutan wandering in a mining area in East Kalimantan has sparked concern for the endangered species. The footage, shared widely on social media, shows the male orangutan walking alone in a coal mine, surrounded by excavators and machinery. This alarming sight highlights the threats facing orangutans and other wildlife due to deforestation, illegal logging, and industrial activities in Indonesia.
Illegal logging impacts the economy, reducing the country’s income and foreign exchange, costing trillion Indonesian Rupiah per year. It also causes environmental damage, including soil erosion, floods, and landslides, which can harm both the ecosystem and communities.
The rapid destruction of their habitats has put all three species of orangutans—Bornean, Sumatran, and Tapanuli—on the verge of extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists all three as “critically endangered”.
While poaching was once the primary cause of their decline, today, deforestation and climate change are the main threats to their survival. Mining activities in regions like Kalimantan contribute significantly to this destruction.
The Viral Orangutan Video
The viral video was recorded by Ahmad Baihaqi, who was observing activities at a coal mine when he saw the orangutan wandering nearby. “I felt sad because he looked very confused,” Ahmad told AFP. “He was alone and looked lost, he didn’t know where to go because the forest was disappearing.”
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The orangutan was seen walking in a sandy ravine near the mining site, occasionally digging in the dirt. Despite the surrounding vegetation, the presence of mining machinery and destruction was clear.
The video drew attention to the urgent need to protect wildlife in mining areas.
As reported by Kompas, authorities located the orangutan on February 11, 2025, in a nearby community plantation. The East Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) responded promptly, sending a team to evacuate the orangutan.
Matheas Ari Wibawanto, the Head of BKSDA East Kalimantan, stated, “We received information that the orangutan was in a community plantation. The team went to the location and evacuated the orangutan.”
The orangutan was found to be healthy and suitable for re-release into the wild. It had been frequently seen in the local oil palm plantation area, raising concerns for both the animal’s safety and that of local residents.
To protect both the orangutan and the people living nearby, the BKSDA released the animal into the Gunung Mesangat Protection Forest in Busang, East Kutai, on February 18, 2025.
cover: Photo by Robert Stokoe/Pexels
