Five Orangutan Infants Found in India, Suspected Illegal Wildlife Trade Route, Indonesia Connection Under Investigation

Five orangutan infants have been discovered in India's Odisha state, prompting an investigation by authorities into their origins and potential involvement in illegal wildlife trafficking routes. The find, initially mistaken for rare monkeys by local residents, is particularly startling as India has no wild orangutan populations, highlighting the reach of international wildlife trade. The five animals, identified as two females and three males estimated to be less than a year old, have been moved to the Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar for care. The Odisha government has requested the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau to investigate their exact provenance. The probe will also ascertain whether the orangutans were intended for sale to buyers within India or were merely in transit to another country. M. Indra Kurnia, Director of Conservation at the Sumatran Orangutan Lestari Foundation – Orangutan Information Centre (YOSL-OIC), views the appearance of orangutans in a country without a natural population as a matter of cross-border wildlife trafficking. "We should not just see it as a local case in the country where the animals were found," he stated. If illegal trade is proven, the Odisha case illustrates the extensive criminal chain these five infants may have endured. Indra explained that this likely began with "poaching in the wild, separation of infants from their mothers, transportation through several regions, and finally being sold or kept as exotic pets." Separation from their mothers not only deprives orangutan infants of maternal care but can also severely impact their health, behavior, social development, and survival skills. Therefore, Indra emphasized, "These five orangutans must be viewed as victims of wildlife trafficking, not as exotic animals found far from their habitat." While the exact species of the five infants has not yet been confirmed, initial indications suggest... This article was originally published on Mongabay