Baleshwar: At least five orangutans, which are not indigenous to India, were rescued in a forest in Odisha’s Baleshwar district, prompting the authorities to suspect that wildlife smugglers might be behind the animals’ sudden appearance there, a minister said Tuesday.
The state government urged the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) to inquire into how the critically endangered great apes reached Bichitrapur forest area under Bhograi block.
Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia said the forest patrolling team rescued the five orangutans Tuesday morning.
“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,” the minister said.
He said the price of each of these orangutans is Rs 20-Rs 25 lakh in the international market.
Singhkhuntia said that these apes might have been brought to Odisha by air, water or rail routes.
“We have urged the WCCB to probe into the incident and asked the airport, railway stations and ports to verify their CCTV cameras as the animals might have been brought through their transportation facilities,” the minister said.
The WCCB is responsible for tackling wildlife-related crimes in the country.
Senior forest department officials are ensuring that these animals remain safe.
A team of veterinary doctors from Simlipal National Park has reached the place and is monitoring the health of the orangutans.
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“After observation, the animals will be kept in Nandan Kanan Zoo in Bhubaneswar,” the minister said.
Baleshwar DFO Pratik Praksh Indalkar told PTI that the animals are healthy and taking food.
“We are conducting a detailed inquiry into where these animals have come from and when they have reached here. However, at present our focus is to keep them safe and healthy,” Indalkar said.
Principal Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW) Prem Kumar Jha confirmed that the forest department will conduct a detailed investigation into the matter.
Meanwhile, a large number of people from the locality reached the forest to have a glimpse of the animals in the wild.
“They are cool and not harming anyone or getting irritated due to human presence,” a senior forest official said.
The authorities have urged people to maintain a safe distance and avoid disturbing the orangutans.
These animals are mainly fruit-eaters but also consume leaves, bark, insects and bird eggs.
