Indonesian authorities seek repatriation of five critically endangered baby orangutans rescued from an abandoned forest in Odisha’s Balasore district
OdishaPlus Bureau
Indonesian authorities have begun efforts to repatriate five baby orangutans allegedly trafficked to India and found abandoned in a forest in Odisha’s Balasore district, the country’s forestry ministry said on Friday.
The critically endangered animals were rescued on Tuesday by forest personnel patrolling the area. They were later shifted to a zoo, where they are being cared for and have been reported to be in good health.
Preliminary physical examination suggests that the orangutans may be of Sumatran origin, although DNA testing will be conducted to establish their exact provenance. Indonesian authorities believe the animals were trafficked into India and have sought their return.
Forestry ministry spokesperson Ristianto Pribadi said Jakarta had begun communicating with the Indian government through the Indian embassy in Indonesia. The ministry is also coordinating with conservation organisations to explore rehabilitation options for the animals.
Orangutans in the wild are found only on the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Borneo, with Borneo also shared by Malaysia and Brunei. Sumatran orangutans are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The animals, estimated to be around one-and-a-half years old, are still heavily dependent on their mothers. Sumatran orangutans are generally weaned only at around seven years of age.
The wild population of Sumatran orangutans was estimated at just over 13,500 in 2016. Habitat loss and fragmentation caused by human encroachment, along with illegal hunting, have contributed to their decline.
Another orangutan species native to Sumatra, the Tapanuli orangutan, is also critically endangered, with fewer than 800 believed to remain in the wild.