Crime
Baby orangutans found in Indian forest spark trafficking inquiry
Five abandoned baby orangutans discovered in a forest in eastern India have prompted an investigation into wildlife trafficking after officials found the animals far from their native habitat in Southeast Asia.
Local reports said the young orangutans were found Tuesday in a casuarina forest near Balasore in Odisha.
Orangutans are native to Indonesia and Malaysia and have not been recorded living in the wild in India, making the discovery highly unusual. The investigation is ongoing but officials believe the animals may have been part of an international wildlife trafficking ring.
The animals were rescued and medically examined before being transported to a secure facility where they are under observation. Authorities from the state forest department, the Special Task Force, and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau are trying to find out where they came from and who brought them to Odisha.