Wildlife / Odisha STF Examines Past Orangutan Seizures To Trace Baleshwar Smuggling Link

Bhubaneswar, Sep 10: The Special Task Force (STF) in Odisha is examining previous cases involving orangutan seizures in India as investigators try to determine whether they have any link with the suspected smuggling of five orangutans rescued from Baleshwar’s Bhograi area, a source said on Thursday.

Investigators are studying cases reported in Assam, Mizoram and Maharashtra while also examining the possible route through which the animals reached Odisha.

The probe has gained significance as orangutans are not native to India. Their presence in Bhograi has prompted investigators to examine the possibility of an organised wildlife trafficking network operating across state or international borders.

Three Previous Cases Under Scanner
The STF is examining a 2022 case in Assam in which two baby orangutans were found abandoned at a checkpoint in the Lailapur area along the Cachar district border. Officials had suspected that the animals were smuggled through Myanmar.

On October 11, 2023, Customs officials in Mizoram intercepted another young orangutan, raising concerns over possible cross-border trafficking routes involving Southeast Asia and neighbouring countries.

In November 2024, Maharashtra Forest Department officials rescued an endangered orangutan in Thane along with exotic reptiles, including ball pythons and an iguana. The orangutan was suspected to have been brought from Indonesia.

The Odisha STF is studying the three cases to determine whether there are common links involving traffickers, routes, handlers or networks.

Black Thar Emerges As Key Lead
A black Mahindra Thar SUV spotted in the Bhograi area has emerged as another key lead in the investigation.

The five orangutans were found by villagers clinging to trees in a casuarina forest in the Bichitrapur area of Bhograi block on Tuesday morning. Forest officials rescued them and shifted them to Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar later that night.

According to information gathered by police, a black Thar was seen moving through the area on Monday night, a day before the orangutans were discovered. Locals noticed the vehicle returning around 10 minutes after it had left.

CCTV footage from the area has also captured the movement of a vehicle matching its description.

STF teams are examining the footage and gathering local information to identify the vehicle and its owner and establish whether it had any role in transporting the orangutans.

Investigators are also examining CCTV footage from railway stations, airports and ports to trace a possible route into Odisha. The possibility of waterways being used is also being explored, with authorities seeking assistance from the Indian Coast Guard.

Also Read: Orangutans Rescued In Odisha's Baleshwar To Undergo Blood, DNA Tests

DNA Tests May Provide Further Clues
Meanwhile, blood, sickle-cell and DNA samples of the five rescued orangutans are being collected on the advice of the Centre for Wildlife Health Committee under Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT).

The samples are to be sent to laboratories to determine whether the animals have any infections and establish their actual age and breed. DNA testing may also help determine whether the five orangutans are from the same mother or belong to different maternal lineages.

Sickle-cell samples were collected on Wednesday. Officials have also found worms in the animals, and treatment is being administered.

The five orangutans -- three males and two females, including a very young infant -- remain in quarantine at Nandankanan under veterinary supervision. They are being kept together as they appear closely bonded.

Authorities are also seeking permission from the Central Zoo Authority to retain the animals at Nandankanan, which has an orangutan enclosure that has remained vacant since 2019.