How did 5 orangutans end up in an Odisha forest? A black SUV may hold a clue

In an unusual turn of events, a group of five young orangutans found themselves in an Odisha forest, thousands of kilometers away from their natural habitat in Indonesia and Malaysia. The critically endangered great apes were discovered by forest patrols in the Balasore district around 6 am on Tuesday. Their presence in India has triggered an investigation into a potential international wildlife trafficking operation.

CCTV footage shows a black Mahindra Thar passing near the forest at around 11.25 pm the previous night and returning about 15 minutes later, leading authorities to examine the vehicle's identity and movements. Local residents also reported seeing a black SUV near the forest that night, but there is no confirmation yet that it was involved in bringing the orangutans to the area.

The five apes are believed to be between one to two years old, and their young age makes them particularly desirable in the illegal exotic pet trade. Authorities suspect an international trafficking network could be involved, as the potential value of the animals—around Rs2 million to Rs2.5 million each—could amount to up to Rs12.5 million in total.

The orangutans have now been transferred to the Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar for quarantine and monitoring by veterinarians. The larger mystery remains: how did these critically endangered apes travel from their natural home thousands of kilometers away to a protected forest in coastal Odisha, and was the black SUV captured on CCTV the first clue?