Orangutans Rescued in Odisha Suspected Smuggling

Five young orangutans, which are not native to India, were rescued from a forest in Odisha's Balasore district, prompting authorities to suspect involvement in wildlife smuggling. The critically endangered animals were discovered on Tuesday morning in the Bichitrapur forest area. Forest officials received a report from a local committee member about five animals believed to be monkeys, but upon inspection, they were identified as orangutans. The state government has ordered the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) to investigate how the apes reached the region. Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia stated that the five orangutans were rescued by a patrolling team. He noted that these animals are typically found in the rainforests of Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Borneo, and Sumatra, and are not indigenous to India. "We suspect that they might have been released in the Balasore district forest, which borders West Bengal, by an international wildlife smuggling racket," Singhkhuntia said. He added that each orangutan could fetch between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 25 lakh in the international market.