Five baby orangutans rescued in India: possible smuggling under investigation
In the eastern Indian state of Odisha, forest department workers rescued five baby orangutans found in a forest in the Jaleswar area of Balasore district. Officials have launched an investigation into the possible illegal transport of the animals, as orangutans naturally live only on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra in Southeast Asia.
Investigation into possible smuggling
Odisha Environment Minister Ram Singh Khuntia said an international network may be involved in the case. According to Global News Canada, officials believe the babies may have been in the area for several days before being discovered by a patrol.
The animals were placed in quarantine at a state zoo. Balasore district forest officer Pratik Prakash Indalkar told The Indian Express that the rescued orangutans include three males and two females. They were also taken to Nandankanan Zoo for medical examinations.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Condition of the babies
According to Indalkar, four of the five babies are healthy, while veterinarians are examining and treating all the animals. A special diet has been prepared for them: the two smallest mainly eat mashed potatoes and apples, while the slightly older ones can eat solid food. In videos shared online, park workers feed the babies fruit and milk.
Orangutans have sparse reddish-orange fur and long, powerful arms. They are critically endangered, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora prohibits commercial trade in these primates. According to the World Wildlife Fund, around 104,700 Bornean, 13,846 Sumatran and 800 Tapanuli orangutans remain in the wild.
