Bhubaneswar: The five rescued orangutans were shifted from Baleshwar to Nandankanan Zoological Park here on Tuesday night. The infants will be hand-reared at the zoo’s Centre for Rearing Animal Babies.
Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia said efforts will be made to keep the five rescued orangutans at Nandankanan. An investigation has been launched to determine how the animals reached the state and whether an international wildlife smuggling network was involved, he added.
The five orangutans, rescued from two sections of the Jaleswar forest range in Baleshwar district, were brought to Nandankanan at around 10.30 pm on Tuesday. They have now been kept in quarantine, where their health is being closely monitored.
Veterinarians, wildlife experts and scientists of the Forest Department are providing the animals with necessary medical care and monitoring their condition and behaviour. Some of the orangutans are believed to be around one year old, said Khuntia.
The minister said the animals will initially remain in quarantine for a few days. Their health and behaviour will be assessed during this period. Further steps to keep them at Nandankanan will be taken after obtaining permission from the National Zoo Authority, he said.
Providing a suitable environment for the young orangutans will be a major challenge considering their age and natural lifestyle. Experts are being consulted to determine the appropriate arrangements for their food, accommodation, healthcare and other requirements, he added.
Meanwhile, a probe has been launched to determine where the orangutans came from, who brought them and how they reached Odisha. The investigation is being conducted jointly by the Special Task Force (STF), Forest Department and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB). Investigators suspect that the animals were brought from outside the state, as orangutans are not native to Odisha or India.
Authorities are examining possible routes and contacts linked to the movement of the animals. CCTV footage from airports and railway stations is also being checked, while investigators are looking into suspicious movements and other possible routes.
Meanwhile, a three-member STF team visited the spot in Balasore from where the orangutans were rescued. The team questioned local people and gathered information about different aspects of the incident as part of the ongoing investigation.
CCTV footage under examination
The rescue of five young orangutans from a casuarina forest in Odisha’s Balasore district has raised serious questions, with locals claiming that a black SUV was seen in the area the night before the exotic animals were found.
According to locals, a black SUV was seen moving through the area late on Monday night. CCTV footage obtained from the locality reportedly shows the vehicle passing through the area at around 11.25 pm and returning at around 11.40 pm.
The footage is now being examined as part of the investigation into how the orangutans reached the forest. The movement of the vehicle has raised suspicion among locals, who want authorities to establish who brought the animals to the area and for what purpose.
The development has also led to allegations from some locals that forest department personnel may have information about the incident or could be linked to it. They have demanded a high-level investigation to establish the facts. Authorities are expected to verify the vehicle’s identity and movements before drawing any conclusions.