Five orangutan infants that were smuggled from Indonesia were discovered healthy by forest patrols in the forests of India. It is presumed that they became victims of illegal wildlife trade.
The Indonesian Ministry of Forestry informed the AFP agency on Friday that Indonesian authorities are working on the repatriation of the five infants, who were found without their mother in the Indian forest, after the Indonesian government requested India to return the animals.
These primates, recognizable by their long reddish fur and endangered, were allegedly illegally brought to India, according to Jakarta. An investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances of this case.
According to the ministry's report, the infants, who are about one and a half years old, appeared healthy and were taken to a zoo after being rescued.
The animals were found on Tuesday by forest rangers patrolling the Balasore area in the state of Odisha, eastern India. In their natural habitat, orangutans are native to the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, as well as Borneo, which Jakarta shares with Malaysia and Brunei.
Initial investigations indicate that all five infants originate from Sumatra, but DNA tests will be conducted to confirm their origin.
The last population assessment of this species, conducted in 2016, showed slightly over 13,500 individuals. The decline in the orangutan population in Sumatra is linked to habitat loss and fragmentation due to increasing human activity, as well as illegal hunting.