Baleshwar/Bhubaneswar: The discovery of five baby orangutans in a casuarina forest in Baleshwar has triggered widespread speculation over how the rare animals reached Odisha.
While authorities are yet to ascertain whether the young animals were abandoned by wildlife smugglers, locals reportedly claimed that a black SUV was seen in the area the night before the exotic animals were found.
It may be noted that orangutans are native to the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia, particularly the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Their populations have been declining rapidly due to habitat loss, hunting and illegal wildlife trafficking, making them one of the world’s most endangered groups of great apes.
The five baby orangutans were rescued by forest personnel on Tuesday from the Bichitrapur casuarina forest near Badapai village under the Talsari marine police station limits of Baleshwar district.
According to locals, a black SUV was seen moving through the area late on Monday night. CCTV footage obtained from the locality reportedly shows the vehicle passing through the area at around 11.25 pm and returning at around 11.40 pm.
Sources said the footage is now being examined as part of the investigation into how the orangutans reached the forest. The movement of the vehicle has raised suspicion among locals, who want authorities to establish who brought the animals to the area and for what purpose.
The development has also prompted the locals to demand a high-level investigation to establish the facts.
Authorities are expected to verify the vehicle’s identity and movements before drawing any conclusions. The presence of orangutans in Odisha has itself raised major questions, as the species is not native to the state.
Odisha Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia said an investigation has been launched to determine how the animals reached the state and whether an international wildlife smuggling network was involved.
The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has been informed about the recovery and is likely to investigate the matter.
Meanwhile, the five young orangutans were shifted to Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar following after being rescued from the forest. The young animals will be hand-reared at the zoo’s Centre for Rearing Animal Babies, said officials.
