Young Sumatran orangutan rescued in India returned to Indonesia after treatment
Indonesia received a rescued juvenile orangutan at Kualanamu Airport, marking its repatriation from India following medical care.
A juvenile Sumatran orangutan, taken from an illegal possession in Thane, Maharashtra in late 2024, spent months receiving intensive care at the Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (Vantara) in Jamnagar, Gujarat. The animal, aged about 18-20 months at rescue, suffered bronchopneumonia or a viral respiratory infection but recovered and tested negative for TB and hepatitis A and B by August 2026. On Monday, the orangutan was handed over to Indonesian authorities at the cargo terminal of Kualanamu International Airport in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra.
Officials plan a veterinary examination and quarantine before transferring the animal to the Sumatran Rescue Alliance’s rehabilitation centre in Langkat District. The repatriation highlights Indonesia’s commitment to wildlife protection and the importance of cross-border cooperation against illegal wildlife trafficking.
