Wildlife / Five Young Orangutans Rescued In Baleshwar, Trafficking Angle Under Probe

Baleshwar, Sept 8: Five young orangutans were rescued from the Ranakotha Reserve Forest near Badapahi area under the Udayapur Forest Division in Odisha's Baleshwar district on Tuesday, prompting the Forest Department to investigate how the exotic animals reached the state.

Forest officials reached the area after receiving information about the animals in the morning and subsequently rescued them. A veterinary team examined the orangutans and provided medical care.

Odisha Forest, Environment & Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia said the five orangutans are between 1 and 2 years old. He said the possibility of an international wildlife trafficking network being involved cannot be ruled out.

International Trafficking Angle Under Probe
Khuntia said orangutans are not native to India and are found in countries including Malaysia, Indonesia and parts of Southeast Asia.

He said the exact route through which the animals reached Odisha would become clear only after the investigation.

According to the minister, an orangutan can fetch around Rs 25 lakh in the trafficking market, raising the possibility of organised wildlife trafficking being involved in the case.

Rescued Orangutans Kept In Quarantine
The five orangutans are currently being kept in quarantine under the supervision of the Forest Department and veterinary experts.

Khuntia said they would be shifted to Nandankanan Zoological Park after receiving necessary medical treatment and clearance from veterinarians.

He also said further research would be conducted on the rescued animals.

The Forest Department has initiated an investigation to establish the source of the orangutans and identify those responsible for bringing them to the area.

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Orangutans Critically Endangered
Orangutans are large, reddish-haired great apes native to the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. The three recognised species -- Bornean, Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutans -- are known for their intelligence, including tool use, problem-solving and learning through observation.

They are primarily fruit-eaters but also consume leaves, bark, insects and other plant matter. Orangutans are largely solitary and spend most of their lives in trees.

All three species are classified as Critically Endangered, with habitat loss, deforestation, hunting and illegal wildlife trade posing major threats to their survival.