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2 clusters · 35 sources · 3 days · First seen 3 days ago · Last updated 1 day ago

Orangutan smuggling investigation in Odisha

Overview

Five juvenile orangutans, estimated to be between six months and two years old, were discovered in the Bichitrapur forest area of Odisha’s Balasore district. The primates, consisting of three males and two females, are not native to India and are primarily found in the rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia. Their presence has triggered a major investigation by the Odisha Police Special Task Force and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau into potential international trafficking.

Authorities suspect the animals may have been part of a smuggling operation that was forced to abandon them following an operational breakdown. Investigators are reviewing footage from 55 CCTV cameras to track a black SUV seen near the site the night before the discovery. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has ordered a thorough probe to prevent the state from serving as a transit route for illegal exotic wildlife trafficking.

The orangutans have been transferred to Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar for medical observation and quarantine. To manage stress, officials have introduced enrichment items like toys and swings, and are utilizing music therapy. DNA sampling to confirm the animals' exact origin and species classification has been delayed to allow the infants to stabilize.

International coordination is underway, with Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry working alongside Indian authorities and CITES to facilitate the repatriation of the infants, who are believed to originate from Sumatra.

Entities

Wildlife Crime Control Bureau · Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia · Odisha · Nandankanan Zoological Park · Odisha Police Special Task Force

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Coverage disagrees

Sources make claims that cannot both be true. CLSTR reports the disagreement; it does not decide who is right.

"The five orangutans were found in Ranakata, a proposed reserve forest in the Bhogarai block near the West Bengal border." english.alsiasi.com

vs

"Five baby orangutans were rescued from the Bichitrapur forest in the Balasore district of Odisha." argusnews.in · periodicoatico.com.ar · wakeup.sg · thecrystaleyes.com · businessnewsweek.in · +8 more

The claims specify different locations for the rescue: Bichitrapur forest versus Ranakata reserve forest.

[DISPUTED] Five baby orangutans were rescued from the Bichitrapur forest in the Balasore district of Odisha. argusnews.in · periodicoatico.com.ar · wakeup.sg · thecrystaleyes.com · businessnewsweek.in · +8 more
[DISPUTED] The five orangutans were found in Ranakata, a proposed reserve forest in the Bhogarai block near the West Bengal border. english.alsiasi.com
[● 13 SOURCES] The rescued orangutans are being held in quarantine at Nandankanan Zoological Park for medical observation and care. argusnews.in · periodicoatico.com.ar · wakeup.sg · thecrystaleyes.com · businessnewsweek.in · +8 more
[● 8 SOURCES] Orangutans are not native to India and are primarily found in the rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia. nnn.ng · businessnewsthisweek.com · www.dtnext.in · kalingatv.com · www.news9live.com · +3 more
[● 6 SOURCES] The Indonesian government is working to repatriate the five baby orangutans to Indonesia. argusnews.in · katadata.co.id · mediaindonesia.com · www.tvsarawak.my · www.vol.at · +1 more
[● 5 SOURCES] The Odisha Police Special Task Force and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau have launched a joint investigation into suspected wildlife smuggling. wakeup.sg · www.dtnext.in · kalingatv.com · www.orissapost.com · pragativadi.com
[● 4 SOURCES] Each orangutan can fetch between Rs 20-25 lakh in the international market. www.dtnext.in · newsmeter.in · udaipurkiran.com · www.timesnownews.com

Timeline

1 day ago

[INTERNATIONAL] 22 sources
Orangutan rescue in Odisha triggers international trafficking investigation
Five baby orangutans rescued from an Odisha forest in India have triggered an international trafficking probe. Indonesia is working to repatriate the animals to their native habitat.
3 days ago

[INTERNATIONAL] 20 sources
Orangutans found in Odisha forest spark international trafficking probe
Five baby orangutans found in Odisha's Balasore district have sparked an international wildlife trafficking probe after being discovered far from their native Southeast Asian habitats.

Sources

argusnews.in · businessnewsthisweek.com · businessnewsweek.in · ca.sports.yahoo.com · dbsuriname.com · deccanchronicle.com · dharitri.com · dinalipi.com · dtnext.in · english.alsiasi.com · globalnews.ca · gulfnews.com · kalingatv.com · katadata.co.id · mediaindonesia.com · meinegemeinde.vol.at · mongabay.co.id · nationalheraldindia.com · newindianexpress.com · news18.com · news9live.com · newsable.asianetnews.com · newsmeter.in · nnn.ng · odishabytes.com · odishasambad.in · orangutan.de · orissapost.com · periodicoatico.com.ar · pragativadi.com · thecrystaleyes.com · timesnownews.com · tvsarawak.my · udaipurkiran.com · wakeup.sg

This summary has been updated 3 times: see revision history