Five young orangutans found in Odisha spark wildlife trafficking investigation
Five juvenile orangutans, a critically endangered species native to Southeast Asia, were discovered in a protected forest in Odisha, prompting officials to probe a possible international wildlife-trafficking network.
During an early-morning patrol on Tuesday, forest staff in Ranakotha Badapahi, Balasore, discovered five juvenile orangutans—critically endangered great apes native only to Indonesia and Malaysia—within the Ranakatha Protected Reserved Forest. Principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) Prem Kumar Jha said the animals, aged about one to two years, were immediately reported to police, and a specialist team from Nandankanan Zoological Park will move them to a quarantine facility in Bhubaneswar.
Odisha forest minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia said the incident raises suspicions of an international wildlife-trafficking ring, noting that orangutans can fetch around ₹25 lakh on the black market. The wildlife wing of the state forest department has opened an inquiry into how the apes arrived in India, while an assistant chief conservator will lead the investigation. Authorities plan to keep the orangutans in quarantine before deciding on their long-term care. The case underscores the ongoing illegal trade in exotic pets and the challenges of protecting endangered species.
