Ape escape: Indonesian orangutans airlifted back to the wild
Issued on:
23/02/2021 - 10:02
2 min
Jakarta (AFP)
Ten orangutans have been airlifted back to their natural habitat on Indonesia's Borneo island, in the first release of the apes into the wild for a year due to the dangers of coronavirus infection.
The animals were flown by helicopter across the island's dense jungle earlier this month to keep them away from days-long land and sea routes that could expose them to the virus.
Orangutans share 97 percent of humans' DNA so conservationists have been on high alert for signs of infection. The pandemic has thrown up unprecedented challenges for conservation efforts.