Bhubaneswar: All five rescued baby orangutans at Nandankanan Zoological Park will be moved to an open enclosure as their health continues to improve, zoo authorities said Tuesday.Despite the move, the orangutans will remain under quarantine in the open enclosure. Access to the area will also remain restricted for visitors, according to zoo authorities.
The shift is aimed at allowing the animals to gradually adjust to their new surroundings while continuing to receive care under quarantine, authorities stated. The rescued orangutans were initially kept in a glass enclosure at the zoo.
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Meanwhile, the Special Task Force (STF), which is investigating the alleged trafficking of the baby orangutans, suspects that more than 16 agents were involved in the racket, indicating that the network extended beyond Dighabased Grand Heritage Hotel owner Jayanta Maiti and his son, Soumyadeep Maiti, an official said.
The STF is searching for the father and son who are suspected of masterminding the alleged wildlife trafficking operation. After examining CCTV footage from Baleshwar and Kolkata, investigators learnt that the two are suspected to have fled to Nepal.
The STF has sought assistance from Interpol and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) to trace and apprehend them, said the official Monday.