12 Proboscis Monkeys Burned to Death in Kalimantan Forest Fire - Tempo.co English

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - South Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) received a report about the death of 12 proboscis monkeys (Nasalis larvatus) due to forest fires.

The Head of the South Kalimantan BKSDA, Agus Ngurah Krisna Kepakisan, said his office deployed a wildlife rescue team to Balimau Village, Kalumpang District, Hulu Sungai Selatan Regency, where the dead long-nosed monkeys were found. 

Upon arrival, the team coordinated with village officials, the village head, and local residents to conduct a search along the river. The team found 12 proboscis monkeys who died in the fire and proceeded to bury them, witnessed by the village head and local residents.

"Initial information indicated that 10 proboscis monkeys were affected," he explained.

The forest fires in the area affected approximately nine hectares of land. He said the team also encountered another group of proboscis monkeys still alive in the area.

"We found 32 proboscis monkeys from the same group still alive. They were located elsewhere, on the opposite side of the fire," Agus said.

Based on the village head's statement and field inspections, he said, the fire reportedly originated outside the monkey's habitat, carried over by strong winds in the late afternoon.

According to records from the South Kalimantan BKSDA, the proboscis monkey population in South Kalimantan in 2025 is estimated at around 3,700 individuals. Approximately one-third of the population lives in conservation areas, while two-thirds live outside conservation areas, such as production forests, protected forests, and areas for other purposes (APL).

The 12 proboscis monkeys killed in the forest fires in Balimau were living in the APL area, which is land owned by the local village.

Read: Fires Threaten Bornean Orangutan Habitat: How Is Indonesia Responding?