Wildlife Crime / Odisha STF Detains Three in Digha Over Orangutans Rescue Case

Bhubaneswar, Sept 11: The Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha Police on Friday detained three persons from a private hotel in West Bengal’s Digha for questioning in connection with the rescue of five orangutans from Baleshwar district in Odisha.

Three persons detained by the Odisha STF from a private hotel in Digha, West Bengal, for questioning in connection with the rescue of five orangutans, sources said.

According to sources, the three are relatives of a father-son duo, who are suspected to be the main accused.

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Police sources said the detainees are relatives of a father‑son duo suspected to be the main accused in the case. The duo, reportedly absconding, is believed to own a black Thar vehicle that allegedly returned to West Bengal under the cover of night.

The orangutans, rescued from Bichitrapur forest in Baleshwar on September 8, were shifted to Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar. Zoo officials said that the cubs are being quarantined in a temperature‑controlled room and gradually acclimatised to the local environment. Nandankanan already has a dedicated enclosure for orangutans, which has remained vacant since the death of a 41‑year‑old female in 2019. That animal had been brought from Pune Zoo in 2003.

Odisha’s Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia said the State government has written to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) seeking permission to retain the rescued orangutans at Nandankanan.
Also Read: Five Rescued Orangutans Shifted to Nandankanan Zoo Amid Trafficking Probe

Meanwhile, Indonesia reportedly approached the Indian government seeking repatriation of the primates, raising questions about their origin and international wildlife trafficking networks.

A joint investigation by the STF and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau is underway to trace how the animals reached Odisha. Authorities are examining possible smuggling routes and scrutinising surveillance footage from transit points. The case has highlighted the growing menace of wildlife trafficking and the urgent need for stronger enforcement mechanisms.