Bhubaneswar/Bhogarai: In a rare incident, at least five baby orangutans, which are not indigenous to India, were rescued in Ranakatha Protected Reserve Forest near Badapai village under Bhogarai block of Baleshwar district, prompting the authorities to suspect that wildlife smugglers might be behind the animals’ sudden appearance there. The orangutans were spotted at around 6am during a routine patrolling by a Forest Department team led by Udaypur Section Forester Sanjaya Kumar Mohanty. Forest officials rescued all five animals and shifted them to Udaypur Section Office campus to ensure their safety and proper care. The Circle Veterinary Team from Baripada has begun their medical examination and treatment.
According to reports, the apes are in good health, while veterinary teams are closely monitoring their condition. Meanwhile, the state government has urged the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) to inquire into how the critically endangered great apes reached Ranakatha reserve forest. Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia said, “These animals are not found in India and are mostly seen in rainforests of Malaysia, Indonesia, Borneo and Sumatra in Southeast Asia. We suspect that they might have been released in the Baleshwar district forest, which borders West Bengal, by an international wildlife smuggling racket.” Authorities are examining whether the animals were illegally brought into the country and subsequently abandoned or transported through Odisha, he added. A separate Forest Department team has been deployed in Badapai Ranakatha area to gather detailed information about the circumstances under which the animals reached the forest and to identify any persons who may have been involved.
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Balasore DFO Pratik Prakash Indalkar said a detailed investigation would be conducted to establish the origin of the animals and determine how they reached the forest area. “It is suspected to be a case of wildlife smuggling,” he said. The Forest Department is also making arrangements for the rescued animals to be shifted to Nandankanan Zoological Park after completion of veterinary examinations and necessary formalities, according to reports. The unusual sighting had created considerable curiosity among local residents, with crowds gathering near the forest after the news spread.
