Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government wants the five orangutans rescued from the Bichitrapur forest area in Baleshwar district to remain in the state, Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia said.
The minister said all five orangutans currently housed at Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar were healthy and doing well. He also clarified that no country had formally claimed ownership of the animals at the international level so far.
Speaking on the matter, Singhkhuntia said the Indonesian expert team was expected to visit India only to examine the orangutans. The Government of India would seek relevant evidence from the team, he added.
“They are doing well and growing. Do not disturb them at all. We would want them to stay in Odisha,” the minister said, reiterating the state government’s preference for keeping the animals at Nandankanan.
The five orangutans were rescued from the Barapahi area during routine forest patrolling in the Rankotha area under Bhograi block of Baleshwar district on the morning of September 8.
Following their rescue, the animals underwent veterinary examinations. A team of veterinary doctors and wildlife experts from Nandankanan Zoological Park reached Bhograi to assess their health and assist in their care.
They were subsequently shifted to Nandankanan, where they are currently receiving veterinary attention and other necessary care.
Meanwhile, the Embassy of India in Jakarta is facilitating a visit by wildlife experts from Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry in November 2026 to assist in the assessment process.
Orangutans are not native to India and are naturally found in the tropical rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra in Southeast Asia. Their unexpected presence in Odisha had prompted forest and wildlife authorities to intervene and ensure their safety.