Five orangutans rescued in Odisha forest as wildlife smuggling suspected

At least five orangutans, which are not indigenous to India, were rescued from a forest in Odisha’s Balasore district on Tuesday, prompting authorities to suspect that an international wildlife smuggling racket may be behind their sudden appearance.

The state government has urged the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) to investigate how the critically endangered great apes reached the Bichitrapur forest area under Bhograi block.

Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia said a forest patrolling team rescued the five orangutans on Tuesday morning.

“These animals are not found in India and are mostly seen in rainforests of Malaysia, Indonesia, Borneo and Sumatra in Southeast Asia. We suspect that they might have been released in the Balasore district forest which borders West Bengal by an international wildlife smuggling racket,” the minister said.

Singhkhuntia said each orangutan could fetch Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh in the international market and that the animals may have been brought to Odisha through air, water or rail routes.

The government has asked the WCCB to probe the matter and directed authorities at airports, railway stations and ports to examine CCTV footage to determine whether the animals were transported through these routes.

Senior forest department officials are overseeing the safety of the orangutans. A team of veterinary doctors from Similipal National Park has reached the site and is monitoring their health.

“After observation, the animals will be kept in Nandan Kanan Zoo in Bhubaneswar,” the minister said.

Balasore DFO Pratik Praksh Indalkar said the orangutans were healthy and eating. He said the department was investigating where and when the animals arrived in the area, while its immediate priority was to keep them safe.

Principal Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden Prem Kumar Jha also confirmed that a detailed investigation would be conducted.

A large number of local residents gathered in the forest to see the animals. Forest officials urged people to maintain a safe distance and avoid disturbing them.

Orangutans are primarily fruit-eaters but also consume leaves, bark, insects and bird eggs.