Orangutans Rescued from Odisha Forest Under Investigation

The Odisha Police’s Special Task Force has started an investigation into how five young orangutans were rescued from a forest in Balasore district. The Odisha Forest and Environment Department has also asked the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau for help with the case, which seems linked to illegal animal trafficking.

The five orangutans, including three males and two females, are being kept in quarantine at Nandankanan Zoo in Bhubaneswar. The zoo is taking care of them according to strict guidelines and in talks with central agencies.

Odisha Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia said the animals will only be put on public display after getting approval from the Central Zoo Authority. For now, they are being closely monitored by veterinarians and zoo staff.

The orangutans were found in a casuarina plantation on September 8, 2026. Forest officials quickly rescued them after being alerted. Orangutans are not native to India; they are usually found in Indonesia and Malaysia. It’s possible they were part of an operation that went wrong.

At Nandankanan Zoo, the animals are given bananas, apples, and mashed potatoes for food. The zoo has experience caring for orangutans, having housed one for 16 years until its death in 2019.

Cases of orangutan trafficking have been reported in other Indian states like Maharashtra, Assam, and Mizoram since 2020. Now, the police are trying to find out how these animals ended up in Odisha and who might be involved in the trafficking network.

The investigation is still in its early stages, and no conclusions have been made yet. The focus remains on finding out how the orangutans were brought to India and identifying those responsible.