Archive · 9 Sep 2026
Five Baby Orangutans Rescued in Odisha as Smuggling Probe Begins
People found five baby orangutans in a forest in Odisha, India.
The animals were rescued and taken to a forest office.
Orangutans normally live in rainforests in Southeast Asia, not India.
Officials say there is no natural path for them to reach Odisha.
This makes them wonder whether people brought or abandoned them illegally.
The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and police will investigate.
Four of the orangutans were healthy and eating, while doctors examined the fifth.
The animals may be moved to Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar.
People have been asked to keep their distance and not disturb them.
Five juvenile orangutans were rescued Tuesday morning after residents found them near Badapai village in Balasore’s Bhograi area.
Officials said orangutans are not native to India and cannot naturally migrate to Odisha because no wildlife corridor connects the regions.
Odisha suspects the animals may have been transported or released by an international wildlife-smuggling racket, but their origin remains unconfirmed.
The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and police are being asked to investigate possible transport routes, including airports, railway stations and ports.
Four orangutans were reported healthy and eating, while veterinarians examined the fifth; officials plan to quarantine all five at Nandankanan Zoological Park.
- Who
- Five juvenile orangutans, Odisha forest officials, veterinarians, police and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.
- What
- The orangutans were rescued, and authorities began investigating how they reached Odisha.
- When
- Tuesday morning; the articles do not specify the calendar date.
- Where
- A forest near Badapai village in the Bhograi area of Balasore district, including the Bichitrapur forest area, Odisha.
- Why
- Officials suspect human involvement or international wildlife smuggling because orangutans are not indigenous to India and have no natural migration route to Odisha.
Smuggling Suspected
Origin Still Unconfirmed
How the animals reached Odisha
Smuggling Suspected
Odisha officials and the state minister suspect that an international wildlife-smuggling operation transported or released the orangutans in Balasore.
Origin Still Unconfirmed
Forest officials have not established who brought the animals, when they arrived or whether an organised racket was involved; they are conducting a detailed investigation.
Possible transport route
Smuggling Suspected
The minister said the animals may have been brought by air, rail or water and asked authorities to examine CCTV footage from airports, railway stations and ports.
Origin Still Unconfirmed
No specific transport route or evidence identifying a transporter has been confirmed.
- Animals rescued
- Five juvenile orangutans
- Rescue area
- Bichitrapur forest area near Badapai village, Bhograi, Balasore district, Odisha
- Investigation
- The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and police are being asked to examine the animals’ origin and possible transport routes.
- Suspected value
- The minister said each orangutan could be worth Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh in the international market.
- Health status
- Officials said four were healthy and eating; veterinarians were examining and treating the fifth.
- Planned destination
- Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar, where the animals are expected to be quarantined.
- Native habitat
- Rainforests of Malaysia, Indonesia, Borneo and Sumatra in Southeast Asia.
