Mongabay · Climate & nature

Five Orangutans Found in India Face Repatriation Challenges

Five infant orangutans were discovered in an Indian forest, far from their native Indonesia, prompting an investigation into potential wildlife trafficking and a complex repatriation process.

The five young orangutans, found in India's Odisha state, are believed to be Sumatran or Tapanuli orangutans, native only to the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Their presence in India, thousands of kilometers away, suggests they may have been trafficked across international borders, possibly through a route involving Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.

Conservationists suspect the orangutans were captured in Indonesia's Aceh province and are urging a crime network-oriented approach to investigations, focusing on identifying the entire trafficking chain from capture to sale.

Authorities are investigating the origin of the orangutans, with physical and DNA analysis planned to determine their specific population. This follows previous instances of orangutans being found in India, with some suspected to have been transferred from Myanmar.

The Indonesian government is coordinating with Indian counterparts and CITES to repatriate the orangutans, but past repatriation attempts have faced bureaucratic obstacles due to differing legal systems.

All orangutan species are critically endangered, with declining populations due to habitat loss and illegal killing. The Sumatran orangutan population is estimated at around 11,694, and the Tapanuli orangutan population at just 716.

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