Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government wants all five orangutans rescued from the Bichitrapur forest area in Baleshwar district to remain at Nandankanan Zoological Park, Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia said.
The minister said the five orangutans, currently housed at Nandankanan in Bhubaneswar, were healthy and growing well. He also said no country had so far made any formal claim to their ownership at the international level.
An expert team from Indonesia is expected to visit India in November to examine the animals, Singhkhuntia said, adding that the Government of India would seek relevant documents and evidence from the visiting team.
“They are doing well and growing. Do not disturb them at all. We would want them to stay in Odisha,” the minister said, making the state government’s preference clear.
The five orangutans were rescued on September 8 during routine forest patrolling in the Barapahi area near Rankotha under Bhograi block of Baleshwar district.
Following the rescue, veterinary doctors and wildlife experts from Nandankanan Zoological Park visited Bhograi to assess the animals’ health and oversee their initial care. They were subsequently shifted to Nandankanan, where they are currently under veterinary observation and receiving necessary care.
Meanwhile, the Embassy of India in Jakarta is facilitating a proposed visit by wildlife experts from Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry in November 2026 to assist in assessing the animals.
Orangutans are native to the tropical rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra in Southeast Asia and are not naturally found in India. Their unusual presence in Odisha had prompted forest and wildlife authorities to step in and ensure their rescue, safety and rehabilitation.
