Probe launched after five orangutans found in Odisha forest

Rescue in Balasore forest

Five baby orangutans were found abandoned in a forest in India's eastern state of Odisha on Tuesday, prompting an investigation into how the critically endangered apes, native only to the rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia, ended up thousands of kilometres from their natural habitat.

The animals were spotted by local residents near Badapali village under Bhograi Block in Balasore district at around 6 am. Balasore Divisional Forest Officer Pratik Prakash Indalkar told ANI that forest officials received a tip-off from a VSS member about five animals believed to be monkeys, but when staff arrived at the site near Barpai village, they discovered the animals were actually orangutans.

According to Indalkar, the animals were young, alert, and active, though they were not moving much. They were initially provided food at the spot, but as a crowd began to gather, forest officials rescued them and shifted them to the Udaipur Section Office for assessment. The five orangutans—two females and three males—are approximately one year old, though some reports suggest they could be between six months and two years. They stand at about one to one-and-a-half feet tall.

The forest department suspects human intervention in the animals' presence. Indalkar told the BBC that the orangutans could not have reached Odisha naturally and may have been transported by road. The area where they were found, Ranakata, a proposed reserve forest in Bhogarai block near the West Bengal border, is covered mainly by casuarina trees and is close to a state highway, he said.

"Chances of natural migration is less as there is no corridor link. It must be a human-induced act," Indalkar told The Indian Express.

Trafficking suspected

The discovery has raised suspicions of wildlife trafficking. Odisha Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia said investigators are examining whether the animals were trafficked by an international smuggling network and abandoned near a highway. He told the Hindustan Times that an "international mafia" may be involved in trafficking them.

Singh Khuntia said the state government has urged the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) to investigate, and the agency has been informed of the recovery. Police, forest officials, and a special task force are involved in the inquiry.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi ordered a detailed probe on Thursday, directing authorities to trace the route through which the orangutans entered the state, identify the people involved, and determine the purpose for which they were being brought. He said Odisha should not be allowed to become a transit route for illegal transportation of exotic wildlife and directed strict legal action if involvement of an organised trafficking network is established, reported The Hindu.

The Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha Police began its probe on Wednesday. STF Inspector General Himanshu Lal said a team led by an SP-rank officer had left for Balasore, while DIG Vishal Singh said they were at a preliminary stage, collecting local data and in contact with the central government's wildlife IG. The STF team contacted the Balasore district SP and DFO and collected details regarding the rescue from the casuarina forest.

Investigators are examining possible links with two earlier orangutan cases in Manipur and Maharashtra, according to Deccan Chronicle. In one Manipur case, a wildlife trafficker was arrested after an orangutan was allegedly brought into India from Myanmar.

A black SUV was seen on a road near the forest on Monday night, a day before the discovery, and was also captured on CCTV footage, according to the Hindustan Times. The STF is examining more than 50 CCTV images, and authorities are also exploring whether waterways could have been used, contacting the Indian Coast Guard for assistance, India Today reported.

Care at Nandankanan

After their rescue, the orangutans were given first aid and taken to Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar, where they were placed in quarantine. Pradeep Mirase, Deputy Director of the zoo, said the animals arrived at approximately 10:30 pm and were moved to a quarantine enclosure equipped with CCTV surveillance.

Zoo staff cleaned the animals and carried out initial health examinations. Mirase said two of the five animals appear to be particularly young. One orangutan had a fever upon arrival and was given medication; its condition is stable. The animals are being monitored round-the-clock by veterinarians and zoo staff.

Wildlife officials have taken steps to help the infants acclimatise, including playing Indian classical music and providing soft toys, according to The New Indian Express. The zoo is also feeding the animals every two hours, with the youngest given mashed potatoes and apples, and the others bananas and apples alongside milk.

The state government has sought permission from the Central Zoo Authority to keep the orangutans at Nandankanan, which has a dedicated orangutan enclosure that has been empty since the death of a 41-year-old female in 2019. Minister Singh Khuntia said the animals could adapt to Odisha's climate, noting that orangutans have survived in the state before. A decision on whether the animals will be kept on public display will be made after receiving CZA approval.

Indonesia seeks repatriation

The Indonesian government has requested that India hand over the apes, forestry ministry spokesman Ristianto Pribadi told AFP on Friday. "The forestry ministry has begun communicating with the government of India through the Indian embassy in Jakarta," he said.

Based on preliminary physical observations, the five infants are believed to be of Sumatran origin, with DNA tests to confirm. Jakarta has been in touch with conservation NGOs to help rehabilitate the baby orangutans.

All three orangutan species—Bornean, Sumatran, and Tapanuli—are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The Sumatran orangutan population was estimated at just over 13,500 in 2016. The Tapanuli orangutan, another species native to Sumatra, is also critically endangered, with fewer than 800 believed left in the wild.

The discovery has drawn attention to the illegal wildlife trade. Orangutans are protected under Indian wildlife laws and international commercial trade in them is prohibited under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Forest officials noted that orangutans are trafficked for the exotic pet trade, tourism entertainment, and private collections, with each animal potentially fetching Rs 20-25 lakh on the international black market.

Regional Chief Conservator of Forests Prakash Chand Gogineni told The Hindu that the orangutans could have ended up in the Odisha forest following a "botched transit operation." Forest officials believe the animals had been in the area for only two or three days before they were spotted. A search of the forest found no other orangutans or clues as to how they arrived, Indalkar said.