UNCONTROLLED fires across Indonesia, particularly in peatlands, have caused huge amounts of smoke and haze to drift into neighbouring countries on an almost annual basis for the past 40 years. The haze is known to have negative effects on human health, climate, the economy and environment and yet the perils of the pollution have not been studied extensively. Its impact, including on wildlife, remains unrealised or poorly understood.
Specific research on the effect of haze has not been carried out and the phenomenon also does not occur throughout the year for us to form detailed conclusions.