BOSF CEO calls for stronger orangutan habitat protection

Jamartin Sihite, CEO of the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF), is calling for strengthened protections for orangutan habitats and other wildlife amidst the threat of forest and land fires. Sihite emphasized that the impact on orangutans serves as an indicator for the broader consequences facing forest wildlife.

Sihite urged the Indonesian government to prevent the conversion of forested areas into mining or plantation sites. He specifically noted that areas currently designated for land-use changes in spatial planning maps should undergo micro-level inspections if they are confirmed to be active wildlife habitats.

In response to Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s recent visit to an orangutan rehabilitation center in Central Kalimantan, Sihite acknowledged improvements in government attention toward conservation but stressed that efforts must move beyond reactive measures. He advocated for more robust early warning systems, disaster budget readiness, and weather-based prevention strategies to mitigate the effects of forest fires.