Palm oil company destroys critical orangutan habitat in unesco biosphere reserve despite indigenous opposition

A palm oil plantation is rapidly destroying pristine rainforest within a UNESCO-protected wildlife corridor in Indonesian Borneo, threatening one of the last remaining habitats for critically endangered orangutans. PT Equator Sumber Rezeki (ESR), owned by Indonesian tycoon Alexander Thaslim through his First Borneo Group, has already cleared nearly 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres) of ancient forest since beginning operations last year in West Kalimantan province.

The company’s 15,000-hectare plantation sits directly within the Labian-Leboyan watershed, a vital wildlife corridor connecting two national parks that serve as strongholds for the endangered Bornean orangutan. This corridor forms part of the Betung Kerihun-Danau Sentarum Biosphere Reserve, which UNESCO designated for protection in 2018. According to a 2016 government study, orangutans inhabit about 25% of the concession area, while conservationists estimate that 80% of the land contains high-value rainforest critical for biodiversity.

The destruction extends beyond wildlife impacts. The biosphere reserve supports hundreds of species including rare hornbills and giant rafflesia flowers, while providing essential water, food, and livelihoods for Indigenous Dayak communities whose cultural identity remains deeply connected to these ancestral lands. The aggressive deforestation adds to growing concerns about Indonesia’s commitment to reducing forest loss, as the country struggles to balance economic development with environmental protection in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions.