Seized from Thane two years ago, infant orangutan set to return to Indonesia

In November 2024, a male orangutan, estimated to be around three years old, was seized from an apartment in Dombivli, Thane, along with nine other wildlife species. The animal was initially housed at the Balasaheb Thackeray Gorewada International Zoological Park in Nagpur before being transferred to the Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (GZRRC) in Jamnagar district, Gujarat.

Indonesian authorities and Indian officials have confirmed that the orangutan will be repatriated back to Indonesia in the coming days. Both Indian and Indonesian agencies have been working together to finalize the necessary permits and approvals, with the repatriation process already in advanced stages. Orangutans are listed under Appendix-I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which restricts their trade and encourages repatriation when feasible.