Odisha government awaits Central Zoo nod to keep 5 rescued orangutans at Nandankanan

State Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia announced on Friday that the Odisha administration has formally written to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) seeking clearance to retain five rescued orangutan cubs at Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar. The request follows the animals' rescue from Bichitrapur forest in Balasore district earlier this month.

The five young orangutans were rescued on September 8 and immediately transferred to Nandankanan, where they are housed in a temperature‑controlled quarantine facility. Officials report that the cubs are being fed, given oral rehydration solutions, and monitored for health and behavior, which includes playful activity and occasional anxiety. The park already has a dedicated orangutan enclosure that has remained vacant since the death of a 41‑year‑old female, originally brought from Pune in 2003, in 2019. The minister noted that the CZA’s approval could allow the animals to adapt to Odisha’s climate and potentially attract more visitors.

Orangutans are native to the rainforests of Indonesia, Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia, and occasional sightings have been recorded in Odisha’s coastal climate before. Indonesia has reportedly approached the Indian government about repatriating the rescued primates. Meanwhile, a joint probe by the Odisha Police Special Task Force and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau is underway to determine the route through which the animals reached Balasore and to assess any involvement of international wildlife‑trafficking networks.