Orangutans in Odisha: India probes origin, Indonesia preps homecoming

Days after five baby orangutans were rescued from a forest in Balasore district of Odisha, Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry has reached out to Indian authorities. It is learnt to be “preparing the technical requirements” for their repatriation if investigations confirm they are from Indonesia.

Based on preliminary assessment, the orangutans are suspected to be from Sumatra, an Indonesian government official told The Indian Express, saying that the possibility of an “organised transnational wildlife trafficking network” is being taken seriously.

“We fully respect the judicial and statutory procedures applicable in India. Indonesia will therefore continue its government-to-government and CITES coordination while awaiting the completion of the investigation and the necessary judicial authorisation. In parallel, we are preparing the technical requirements that may be needed for repatriation, including health examinations, quarantine arrangements, genetic identification, transport, animal welfare safeguards, and appropriate post-arrival rehabilitation,” Ristianto Pribadi, Director of Public Relations and International Cooperation Bureau in Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry, told The Indian Express.

Pribadi said that Indonesia’s Directorate of Species and Genetic Conservation, under its Ministry of Forestry, wrote to Sushil Kumar Awasthi, Director General of Forests and Special Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and CITES Management Authority, in this regard on Thursday.

According to Pribadi, Awasthi acknowledged Indonesia’s communication, and explained that the state-level forest authorities must first complete their official investigation, and any decision concerning the custody, transport or transfer of the animals requires the authorisation of the competent judicial court.

The Indian Express reached out to Awasthi, but did not receive any response.

Under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), a multilateral treaty that is over 50 years old, global trade in wild animals and plants is regulated to ensure it is legal, sustainable, traceable, and does not threaten survival of species in the wild. It prohibits trade in species that are endangered, which includes orangutans, listed under Appendix I of the convention.

Orangutans are native to the rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia, across Borneo and Sumatra, and are “critically endangered” as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Pribadi said that in its communication, Indonesia sought information on the incident, the species, their health, investigation being carried out, and collection of genetic samples, among other things. It also conveyed its readiness to cooperate with India on species and origin verification, and said that if the animals are confirmed as originating from Indonesia, it would undertake necessary measures under CITES and relevant national laws for their repatriation.

Amid concerns over a wildlife trafficking racket, Pribadi said Indonesia’s Directorate General of Forestry Law Enforcement has been roped in too. Indonesia has sought information on the suspected trafficking route, point of entry, transit countries, documentation and preliminary investigation findings.

“Should the evidence reveal persons, transactions, collection points, or other links within Indonesian jurisdiction, the competent Indonesian authorities will follow up in accordance with national law and through international law-enforcement cooperation. At this stage, however, it would be premature to identify particular individuals or networks before the evidence has been formally established,” he said.

Based on preliminary observations of their physical and morphological characteristics, the orangutans are suspected to be from Sumatra, Pribadi said, adding that conclusive identification would require DNA examination, which would establish their species, geographical origin, whether they came from the wild, or had been held in captivity previously.

Meanwhile, Wildlife Trust of India’s Chief Executive Officer Jose Louies said: “Technically, we do not know where the animals have come from exactly, but we know they could be from either Indonesia or Malaysia, and only DNA sampling can establish which population they belong to. India has an opportunity to set an example, and it is our moral responsibility to take the right step and return it to the country of its possible origin.”

An award-winning journalist with 14 years of experience, Nikhil Ghanekar is an Assistant Editor with the National Bureau [Government] of The Indian Express in New Delhi. He primarily covers environmental policy matters which involve tracking key decisions and inner workings of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. He also covers the functioning of the National Green Tribunal and writes on the impact of environmental policies on wildlife conservation, forestry issues and climate change. Nikhil joined The Indian Express in 2024. Originally from Mumbai, he has worked in publications such as Tehelka, Hindustan Times, DNA Newspaper, News18 and Indiaspend. In the past 14 years, he has written on a range of subjects such as sports, current affairs, civic issues, city centric environment news, central government policies and politics. ... Read More