Five young orangutans rescued from Odisha’s Balasore district
The Odisha Forest Department rescued five young orangutans found abandoned in a casuarina plantation in Balasore. Authorities suspect a failed illegal wildlife transit operation and have launched an investigation under the Wildlife Protection Act.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the challenges of illegal wildlife trafficking and the need for better coastal surveillance.
The Odisha Forest Department on Tuesday (September 8, 2026) rescued five young orangutans after they were found abandoned in a casuarina plantation in the Udayapur-Talsari forest area of Balasore district.
The orangutans, which are not native to India, were found in the Udayapur section of the Jaleswar Range during routine patrolling, said Regional Chief Conservator of Forests (RCCF) Prakash Chand Gogineni. “We have rescued all of them. Of the five, three are male, and two are female,” Mr. Gogineni said.
The orangutans, aged between six months and one year, have been shifted to Nandankanan Zoological Park for medical examination. “They do not appear to have sustained any injuries, but we have sent them to Nandankanan for further medical examination,” he said.
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