Rescuers in Borneo have successfully released orangutans back into their natural forest habitat following widespread devastation caused by intense wildfires over the summer, according to a report by BBC News.

The rescue operations were launched after severe blazes swept through parts of the island, posing a direct threat to the native ape population and destroying vast stretches of their primary living environment.

Conservation teams carefully moved the threatened primates out of harm's way during the peak of the fires, holding them safely until conditions in the forest stabilized enough to allow for their return.

The full original report detailing the rescue and release efforts can be found at BBC News.