Indonesia’s wildfires are threatening the world’s oldest cave paintings in South Sulawesi, located in the Maros-Pangkep karst region. Researchers from Australia’s Griffith University date a depiction of human-like figures interacting with a pig in the cave to at least 51,200 years old, and other reporting cites even older age estimates for the wider site.
Several outlets connect the danger to hotter, drier conditions linked to El Niño, which they say pushes temperatures higher and reduces rainfall. Other details focus on the firefighting response and the broader landscape around the cave, including smoke drifting over the national park and a UNESCO Global Geopark.
Coverage differs in emphasis. Some articles foreground the artwork’s antiquity and the scientific dating, while others lead with the wildfire crisis and climate drivers. One outlet adds context on the severity of Indonesia’s fires over recent years, and another highlights risks to deterioration from heat and smoke.
