Special focus at Odisha zoo: Baby orangutan unwell since Day 1

Nandankanan Zoological Park officials announced that a baby orangutan rescued from a casuarina forest near Bhograi in Balasore district has been experiencing persistent fever since its arrival, prompting heightened medical oversight. Deputy Director Pradeep Mirase told The Indian Express that the cub’s temperature spikes have been managed with medication, and its condition was reported stable on Monday after a Sunday episode.

The five orangutan cubs were rescued on September 8, and four of them are reported to be in good health. The ailing infant has been kept in a temperature‑controlled quarantine room equipped with mosquito nets, separate from a recently crowded enclosure that now houses 58 new animals. Veterinary officer Aditya Acharya of Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology noted that high body temperature in orangutans is treated similarly to humans, often with paracetamol‑based drugs. The Odisha government has constituted a five‑member technical committee to oversee the apes’ health and has written to the Central Zoo Authority seeking permission to retain the rescued primates at Nandankanan.

Orangutans are native to the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra, and Indonesia has expressed interest in the return of the rescued individuals. State Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia said the government has not yet decided on repatriation, focusing instead on the immediate survival and well‑being of the animals. The ongoing health concerns and the need for blood sampling are expected to delay any further administrative procedures.