Five Baby Orangutans Found in India, Indonesia Prepares for Repatriation

JAKARTA, GARISBUMI.com – The Indonesian government is working to repatriate five baby orangutans found in the forest area of ​​Balasore District, Odisha State, India. The animal, which is thought to have come from Sumatra, is indicated to be a victim of illegal cross-border trade.

The five baby orangutans were found by the local Forest Service in the Bhogarai/Udaipur Block forest area, Jaleswar area, Balasore District, on Tuesday, September 8 2026. The location of the discovery was near the border of Odisha and West Bengal State.

Based on preliminary information, the five orangutans are estimated to be 1 to 1.5 years old. All of them were found in good health and have now been placed in Nandankanan Zoological Park, Bhubaneswar, for treatment.

The Ministry of Forestry stated that the physical and morphological characteristics of the five animals led to the suspicion that they were orangutans from Sumatra. However, this conclusion is still temporary.

Certainty regarding the type and origins of the five orangutans will be determined through DNA examination by competent scientific authorities.

Allegedly Victim of Illegal Animal Trade

Orangutans are not native to India. The natural habitat of these primates is only found in Indonesia and Malaysia, especially the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan or Borneo.

The appearance of five baby orangutans in India has therefore given rise to strong suspicions of wildlife trade and smuggling activities involving transnational networks.

The Ministry of Forestry is coordinating with the Indian CITES Management Authority, the Indian Embassy in Jakarta, and the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in New Delhi to verify the origins of the animals and prepare the repatriation process.

Coordination was also carried out with the National Research and Innovation Agency as the scientific authority and the Ministry of Agriculture to support the handling and speed up the return of the five orangutans to Indonesia.

All stages will be carried out in accordance with national laws and international mechanisms, including the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora or CITES.

Prepared for Rehabilitation

The Ministry of Forestry also involves a number of conservation organizations that are experienced in rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing orangutans.

These organizations include the Leuser Ecosystem Foundation, the Indonesian Animal Network, the Center for Orangutan Protection, and the Indonesian Orangutan Forum. The partners stated that they were ready to support the repatriation process and handling of the five baby orangutans after arriving in Indonesia.

After being repatriated, the five animals will undergo health checks, quarantine, genetic identification, behavioral assessment and rehabilitation based on each individual's condition.

If they meet the health and survival requirements, they will be considered to undergo the rehabilitation stages leading to release into their natural habitat.

The safety and welfare of the five baby orangutans is a priority during the repatriation process. Repatriation will be carried out carefully and following applicable conservation provisions.

Indonesia Supports Disclosure of Smuggling Networks

The case of the discovery of five baby orangutans in India shows that the illegal trade in wildlife has crossed national borders. Handling it requires cooperation between the country of origin, the country where the animal was found, law enforcement agencies, scientific authorities, CITES and conservation organizations.

The Indonesian government ensures that it will continue to oversee the process of repatriating the five orangutans. Indonesia also supports investigations to uncover the origins of the animals and possible illegal trade networks involved.

The community and various parties at home and abroad are invited to strengthen efforts to eradicate wildlife trafficking. This step is needed to ensure that orangutans, an important part of Indonesia's rich biodiversity, remain protected.