Baby orangutans rescued in Odisha show anxiety, playful behaviour at Nandankanan Zoo
Five baby orangutans rescued from a forest in Odisha’s Balasore district are showing a mix of playful behaviour and anxiety at Nandankanan Zoological Park, where officials are closely monitoring their physical and mental health.
The animals, aged between six months and one year, were brought to the zoo on Tuesday night and are currently being kept in a quarantine enclosure. Three are males and two are females.
A senior zoo official said the orangutans were taken out of the enclosure on Thursday for a morning sunbath. The animals have also been playing with soft toys and often stay close to one another.
“Sometimes they appear to be relaxed, and in the next moment, they cling to each other,” the official said, attributing the behaviour possibly to anxiety after being separated from their mothers.
The zoo has installed a swing and provided soft toys in the enclosure to help reduce stress. Officials are also taking steps to play classical music for the animals on the advice of experts.
Nandankanan Zoo Deputy Director Pradeep Mirase said the animals' behavioural similarities with humans would help staff in their care and acclimatisation.
Zoo Director Sanath Kumar N said the animals were initially found in a scared state after their rescue and were receiving veterinary care under the guidance of the Centre for Wildlife Health (CWH).
One orangutan had fever after being brought to the zoo, two showed symptoms of common cold and another had a worm infection. Their health is now stable after treatment, a zoo doctor said.
The animals are being fed infant milk formula, boiled and mashed apples, bananas, dry fruits and oral rehydration solution. A veterinary doctor has been assigned round-the-clock duty, while three keepers are looking after them.
A health committee comprising veterinary experts from Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology has also conducted an initial examination. Blood samples and oral swabs will be collected for further screening after the animals acclimatise to their new surroundings.
The five orangutans were rescued on September 8. Their presence in Odisha has raised questions as the species is not native to India and is found naturally in the rainforests of Malaysia and Indonesia, including Borneo and Sumatra.
Meanwhile, Odisha Police and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau are conducting a joint probe amid suspicion that an international wildlife smuggling network could be behind their arrival in the state.
Odisha Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia said the government was prioritising the health of the rescued animals and that Nandankanan authorities were also in touch with Mysuru Zoo, where orangutans are housed.
