Legislator calls for strengthened wildlife protection amidst forest fires

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Rajiv, a member of Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), has called on the government to strengthen wildlife protection in all efforts to manage forest and land fires (karhutla), such as those currently occurring in Kalimantan.

“Forest fires do not only destroy trees, but also food sources, water, and wildlife habitats. Indonesia’s genetic wealth is also at risk of extinction,” Rajiv stated in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Furthermore, he noted that Kalimantan is one of the world’s biodiversity hubs, serving as a habitat for various rare animals and plants, including orangutans, proboscis monkeys, hornbills, ironwood trees, and various orchid species.

Rajiv encouraged the government to shift forest fire management from a reactive approach to permanent, risk-based prevention. He added that these efforts must involve relevant ministries, law enforcement agencies, local governments, concession holders, indigenous peoples, and communities living near forests.

“This situation must be viewed as an ecological crisis, not merely an issue of extinguishing flames. Every hotspot must be immediately verified, its source traced, and addressed before it develops into a large-scale fire,” he said.

Rajiv requested the Ministry of Forestry and the Ministry of Environment to prepare wildlife emergency response protocols. These protocols could include habitat and wildlife corridor mapping, rescue teams and wildlife health services, the provision of temporary habitats, and post-fire monitoring.

He reminded that the protection of habitats outside conservation areas needs to be strengthened through ecological corridors, preservation areas, and cooperation with concession holders and local communities.

“Wildlife protection must be an integral part of forest fire management. We must not only save the forest from fire but also avoid losing the biodiversity contained within it,” he said.

Previously, the West Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) had prioritised the protection of orangutans and their habitats amidst the increasing threat of forest and land fires during the dry season.