Orangutan escaping fire Tanjung Puting October 2015

Fighting fire Bungur (Sumatra) 2014. Advanced reforestation trees burnt.

Pump donated by SIES Tanjung Puting 2015

Why we need more fire fighting equipment

With the acceleration of global climate change, fires have become an ongoing issue and each year destroy massive swathes of land through Sumatra and Borneo. The impacts are devastating on people, wildlife and forests. The global impact in terms of forest lost and carbon emissions was equally devastating.  

In Sumatra in Way Kambas National Park 75% of the habitat has been degraded and up to 50% suffers from frequent forest and grass fire during the dry season. The population of Sumatran rhinos and tigers in Way Kambas NP is dangerously low.  Increasing habitat is key to providing for an increase in rhino and tiger populations.  However where habitat is small tigers will explore into less optimal habitat and often this leads to their death.   Improved habitat with dense cover can will provide for tiger territorial population expansion in the short term and rhino in the long term.    

Arsonists regularly destroy many valuable and extensive habitat projects.  Long-term police guard protection and suitable fire fighting equipment are proving to be integral to habitat expansion success.  

Thanks to our generous donors and The Thin Green Line we have been able to purchase equipment for fire fighting teams in Sumatra and Kalimantan.