In an extraordinary find, five baby orangutans were discovered in a forest in Odisha’s eastern state, far from the tropical rainforests where they naturally occur.
The infants, photographed eating bananas on a green mat, were found by local villagers and quickly reported to forest officials. The sighting has caused alarm, as it raises obvious questions about how these critically endangered apes ended up so far from their homeland.
Odisha’s forest minister said investigators are examining whether the animals were trafficked via an international smuggling network and abandoned near a highway. The five young apes were rescued early Tuesday in Balasore district and taken to Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar, where they are in quarantine and being monitored for health.
Forest officers note that the animals could not have dispersed naturally and suspect road transport from Indonesia or Malaysia. They highlight the dense casuarina forest and proximity to a state highway as clues.
Wildlife authorities have asked India’s Wildlife Crime Control Bureau to launch an investigation, with police, forest officials and a special task force already on the case. The inquiry aims to find the chain of custody and stop any ongoing smuggling operations.
Orangutans are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature because of rapid declines due to deforestation, habitat loss and hunting. Their captivity for exotic pet trade breaches both CITES and Indian wildlife laws.
This is not the first time young orangutans have been found in India. In 2022 two baby orangutans were discovered abandoned near the Assam‑Mizoram border, suspected to have been smuggled from Myanmar.
Conservationists urge stronger safeguards, community engagement and law enforcement to curb wildlife trafficking and protect these unique primates.
