Illegal Clearing and Fires Threaten Singkil Peat Swamp, Indonesia’s Orangutan Capital

In the Leuser Ecosystem, the Singkil peat swamp—Indonesia’s largest remaining coastal peatland and a key orangutan habitat—has begun to disappear. Satellite images show extensive illegal deforestation, drainage, and canal construction inside the Rawa Singkil Wildlife Reserve, a site protected under national law. The cleared land is being converted to oil‑palm plantations, while the lowered water table turns peat into a dry, highly flammable fuel. As Indonesia’s fire season starts, fires are igniting across the swamp, smoldering underground for weeks and threatening the dense Sumatran orangutan population that relies on this forest. The destruction not only erodes critical wildlife habitat but also releases stored carbon, amplifying climate impacts. The illegal activities are ongoing despite the reserve’s protected status, underscoring a growing conflict between conservation and agricultural expansion.