Bhubaneswar, Sept 29: The identification of the actual place of origin of the five orangutan cubs currently housed at Nandankanan Zoological Park has hit a roadblock, with the Forest Department struggling to obtain blood samples of orangutans born in Indonesia for DNA comparison.

The Forest Department is currently in discussions with officials of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) in Kolkata, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in Dehradun and the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad regarding the DNA testing.

According to Dr Aditya Acharya, Project Coordinator at the Centre for Wildlife Health, OUAT, three species of orangutans are generally found in Indonesia. DNA samples from these species are required to determine whether the five cubs belong to the Bornean, Sumatran or Tapanuli species.

Alos read: RPF ASI saves woman from falling under moving train at Talcher Station

The ZSI has previously conducted several studies on different orangutan species from Indonesia, and its laboratory database may contain information on their genetic diversity. By comparing the DNA of the Nandankanan cubs with the available samples, experts may be able to establish their species and trace their genetic lineage.

The DNA analysis could also help determine the actual relationship among the five cubs and establish the extent of their genetic similarity.

Former Deputy Director of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), Anup Nayak, said the CCMB in Hyderabad has also conducted several studies on orangutans in the past. He said that the sooner blood samples of the cubs are sent from Nandankanan for DNA testing, the sooner a clearer picture of their history and lineage can emerge.

The findings could also provide a new direction to the investigation by the Crime Branch’s Special Task Force (STF) into the alleged illegal trafficking of the orangutans.