Wildfires threaten orangutan research site in Borneo's Gunung Palung park

Wildfires in Indonesian Borneo have advanced to within 200 meters of Rangkong research station, part of the Cabang Panti research complex in Gunung Palung National Park, threatening a long-running orangutan study. The fires are part of a broader pattern of seasonal burning in the region, but the proximity to a key research site marks a notable escalation. The immediate risk is to the research infrastructure and the critically endangered orangutan population, though the full extent of the damage remains unclear.