As 5 orangutans find new home in Odisha, a probe into how they landed there
Five infant orangutans were rescued from a forest in Odisha's Balasore district, leading to an investigation by the Special Task Force (STF) of the Odisha police and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB). The orangutans are currently at Nandankanan Zoo under quarantine and medical supervision. The state government has sought approval to keep them there, and CCTV footage from nearby areas is being reviewed.
Teams from WCCB's Bhopal and Kolkata units are expected to join the investigation soon. STF DIG K V Singh stated that they are examining documents and analyzing similar cases while gathering data. Any involvement in an international trafficking racket can only be confirmed after a thorough investigation. Odisha's forest minister suspects involvement of a trafficking racket, noting that India is not a natural habitat for the animals.
The exact age of the orangutans is unknown, but they are believed to be juveniles based on their size.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
