Bhubaneswar/Balasore: September 9, 2026: The Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha Police has launched an investigation into the rescue of five young orangutans from a forest area in Balasore district. The Odisha Forest and Environment Department has also sought assistance from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) to investigate the suspected wildlife trafficking angle.A team of the Odisha STF has been sent to Balasore to investigate how the orangutans reached the area and under what circumstances they were found. Officials are also examining the possibility of an illegal wildlife trafficking network.STF Deputy Inspector General of Police Kanwar Vishal Singh said the investigation is at an early stage and authorities are currently gathering information about the circumstances in which the orangutans were spotted.
Five Orangutans Quarantined at Nandankanan Zoo
The five orangutans—three males and two females—have been shifted to Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar and placed under quarantine.Zoo veterinarians and staff are monitoring the animals around the clock. Initially, the orangutans are being provided bananas and apples, while the younger ones are being given mashed potatoes and apples as part of their care.Odisha Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia said the animals are being looked after according to prescribed protocols and in consultation with central agencies.A decision on whether the rescued orangutans will eventually be kept on public display will be taken only after obtaining permission from the Central Zoo Authority.
Orangutans Found in Balasore Forest
The five young orangutans were found on Tuesday, September 8, in a casuarina plantation in the Udayapur-Talsari forest area of Balasore district.After receiving information about the animals, a Forest Department patrolling team reached the spot and rescued them.Orangutans are native to Indonesia and Malaysia and are not naturally found in the wild in India. Their mysterious presence in a coastal forest in Odisha has raised serious questions about how they entered the country.
Possible Botched Transit Operation Under Probe
Regional Chief Conservator of Forests (RCCF) Prakash Chand Gogineni said the orangutans may have ended up in the Odisha forest following a botched transit operation.Investigators are now trying to establish the route through which the animals may have been transported, including whether they were brought by land or sea. Authorities are also working to identify people who may be connected to the suspected wildlife trafficking network.The STF has, however, cautioned against speculation as the investigation is still in its initial stage.
Nandankanan Has Previous Orangutan Experience
Nandankanan Zoological Park has previously housed orangutans. The zoo had kept a female orangutan named Bini for nearly 16 years.Bini, who was brought to Nandankanan from Pune Zoo in November 2003, died in 2019 at the age of 41 due to age-related and associated health complications.According to the Forest Department, cases involving orangutan trafficking have been reported in India before. Orangutans were rescued from Maharashtra, Assam and Mizoram after 2020.The ongoing investigation will focus on tracing the origin and transportation route of the five orangutans and determining whether they were part of an organised wildlife trafficking operation.
