November, 1 2013
A smoky haze blankets the landscape for miles before we reach Rawa Kuno Forest. Off in the distance, great plumes of smoke can be seen emanating from the horizon. At the base of each plume, orange flames reach up and produce the smoke that is being carried off into the sky. Once the sun goes…
Read MoreSeptember, 30 2013
For the human and animal dwellers of Borneo, monsoons, droughts, and other extreme weather conditions are nothing new. The equatorial climate of this mega-island can be famously inhospitable. As such, Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas and the entire OFI team of staff, researchers, and volunteers have become accustomed to working to protect orangutans under any and…
Read MoreAugust, 1 2013
These days, it’s difficult to pick up a newspaper or turn on the television or Internet and not find a headline story in the news about extreme weather. It seems high temperatures, heavy rains, drought conditions, and wildfires are wrecking havoc on communities throughout the world. But what the average person considers to be extreme…
Read MoreNovember, 17 2012
You are standing in the midst of destruction. Felled, charred trees litter the smoldering ground below you. The dead leaves crunch under your feet with each cautious step and the heat presses on your skin and fills your lungs. Fires pop up unexpectedly all around you, and a threatened rainforest is behind you. You are…
Read MoreOctober, 25 2009
El Nino’s arrival has brought on severe drought to the region. During these long droughts, the forests of Borneo are much more vulnerable to fires. The land cleared for palm oil plantations and by farmers goes up in flames easily due to the dried and dead brush on the floor of the forest. What is…
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