Indonesia is preparing to establish an 87,000-hectare orangutan conservation area in East Kalimantan province to strengthen protection of the species and its habitat, Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said Monday.

Raja Juli said the plan had entered its final administrative stage and would be followed by the establishment of the Keraitan Landscape Integrated Orangutan Conservation Working Group.

The conservation area will serve as a wildlife corridor linking orangutan habitats across the Keraitan Landscape, helping safeguard wild populations and improve habitat connectivity.

The government is developing the area in cooperation with conservation organizations and companies operating in the region, which have pledged support for the initiative, according to the minister.

The project is also expected to accelerate efforts to rescue orangutans affected by habitat loss, including those found near mining areas.