Holding on tight: Rescuers quickly anaesthetised the mother to give her treatment with her frightened baby clinging on tightly throughout. (Photo/Mail Online)

They have headed to villages to find food, but locals view them as pests and there has been an increase in human-animal conflict.

'It was very fortunate our rescue team got there in time, otherwise the orangutans would have been killed,' Karmele Llano Sanchez, IAC's group programme director said.

'The mother was quite skinny because she had not been eating for at least a month since the fires started.'

Rescuers quickly anaesthetised the mother with her frightened baby clinging on tightly throughout.

The adult female was extremely thin but still had milk to nourish the baby. She had some minor skin wounds and the team removed rope that was tied around her wrist.