The haze in Singapore has been coming and going with the winds.

On Sep. 14, 2019, the haze appeared to be the worst here since the start of the year, with the skies covered in smog.

And on Sep. 18, PSI levels rose to the Unhealthy range yet again, with the south of Singapore hitting 120.

But if the haze is already terrible in Singapore, imagine how much worse the situation is likely to be in Indonesia.

News coming out of Indonesia is reporting that wildlife there are bearing the brunt of the effects of this environmental crisis.

Young orangutans suffering from toxic haze

On Sep. 17, animal welfare group Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation said that the haze was greatly affecting many of the native orangutans in its care.

The smoke "does not only endanger the health of [the] staff", but the 335 orangutans at the organisation's Kalimantan rescue center and shelter were suffering as well, reported Malay Mail.

The foundation revealed that around 37 young orangutans reportedly contracted mild respiratory infections.

Additionally, environmental conditions at the group's East Kalimantan facility were so bad that the animals' outdoor activities had been restricted to only a few hours a day.

Orangutans, native to Indonesia and Malaysia, are critically endangered.

The populations of orangutans have dropped from 288,500 in 1973 to about 100,000 now.

Not only do they face threats such as habitat loss from deforestation, but this time, the severe air pollution is another hazard they have to contend with.

Forest fires not abating in Indonesia, claiming lives

The haze situation in Sumatra, the epicentre of the fires, has been steadily worsening and taking a human toll.

On Sep. 16, a four-month-old baby died from acute respiratory infection, in the Indonesian city of Palembang, South Sumatra, and it was highly suspected that the haze was the main cause.

And according to CNA, the forest fires have claimed nine other lives as well, including that of two young siblings, a firefighter and six farmers.

Around 285,000 hectares of land has also been burnt since the dry season started in June.

On Sep. 13, the number of hotspots across three provinces in Sumatra amounted to 3,673.

This was a large jump compared to the 1,092 hotspots detected in mid-August, reported CNA.

Top photo from Bidayuh Info / FB and @aoi_tanoto / IG