Environment
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Odisha rescues 5 infant orangutans as smuggling probe begins
The Indian Express··9 Sept
Forest officials rescued five infant orangutans from a forest near Badapai in Odisha's Balasore district early on Tuesday. The animals are now quarantined at Nandankanan Zoo under medical supervision. Odisha Police STF and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau are checking for a smuggling racket. Wild orangutans live only in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra.
Prism
What It Means For You
- The state has sought Central approval to keep the juveniles, about 1 to 1.5 feet tall, in Odisha.
- A case under the Wildlife Protection Act will be registered soon, officials said.
- CCTV from railway stations, airports and other points is being examined for how they arrived.
What's Happening
- Thousands of onlookers gathered after news spread by about 6 am, prompting the Forest Department rescue.
- A three-member STF is reviewing forest documents and questioning locals at the site.
- WCCB teams from Bhopal and Kolkata are expected to join the inquiry.
Why Odisha Suspects Trafficking
- Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia said India is not a natural orangutan habitat.
- Officials say there is no land corridor from Borneo or Sumatra to India.
- DIG KV Singh said the inquiry remains preliminary and declined to speculate.
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