Bhubaneswar: In a rare discovery, the Baleshwar Forest Department personnel have spotted five orangutans in the Rankotha protected forest area of the district.
As per reports, a team from the Udaypur forest division spotted the orangutans near Badapahi while on routine patrol on Tuesday morning. Higher officials were immediately informed, and a special team was formed to rescue the animals. Subsequently, all the five orangutans were successfully rescued and taken to a local hospital for medical examination.
It is learnt that Orangutans are not native to Indian forests, making the sighting highly unusual. The Forest Department has launched an inquiry to determine how and from where the five orangutans reached the Rankotha forest in Baleshwar.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Prem Jha confirmed the recovery of the five orangutans from Rankotha. He said their health will be thoroughly checked, and a detailed investigation will be conducted into their origin and the circumstances of their arrival. Arrangements are also being made to house them at Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar.
