For Novita, a young female orangutan around five years old, this became a reality when a forest fire swept through her habitat in Katune, Central Kalimantan, on 25 September 2026. Rescuers found her high in the forest canopy, surrounded by heavy smoke and fire.
Reaching her was far from easy. The dangerous conditions made the rescue extremely challenging, and teams continued efforts to bring her safely down from the tree into the following day.
After being evacuated by the Central Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) and the BOS Foundation teams, Novita was taken to the Nyaru Menteng Rehabilitation Centre’s clinic for urgent medical treatment.
She had survived the fire, but it had left her with serious injuries.
Novita’s first examination revealed burns covering approximately 20% of her body, with the most severe injuries affecting her left hand and both feet. While treatment helped the wounds on her hands improve, the burns on her feet caused extensive tissue damage and necrosis.
On 2 October, our veterinary team performed further wound treatment under anesthesia and had to amputate damaged parts of four toes that could no longer be saved. It was a difficult but necessary step in her treatment, and Novita still faces a long road to recovery, requiring intensive veterinary care and continued support.
Novita continues to receive treatment and close monitoring at our clinic. Our veterinary team is assessing her wounds, overall health, blood test results, and response to medication while watching carefully for infection and other complications. We are also consulting with experts to determine the most appropriate next steps for her care.
Her recovery will take time, and her long-term rehabilitation needs are still being assessed. As her condition changes, her care will need to change with it.
Novita’s recovery cannot wait. She still needs intensive veterinary care, nutritious food, and rehabilitation tailored to her needs. Your donation today can help provide the ongoing care she needs to heal, recover, and have the best possible chance at a better future.
Your donation can help support the daily care and treatment that Novita needs:
These amounts illustrate ways your contribution can support Novita’s care; they do not represent the full cost of a specific item or treatment.
We cannot yet know what Novita’s future will look like. But we can work to ensure she has the treatment, nourishment, and care she needs today, along with continued support in the months ahead.
