Bhubaneswar, September 9: Forest, Environment & Climate Change Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia visited Nandankanan Zoological Park on Wednesday to review the care and management arrangements made for the five juvenile Orangutans recently rescued by the Baleshwar Wildlife Division, amid concerns of illegal wildlife trafficking.
He inspected the quarantine and care facilities and reviewed the specialised arrangements, including round-the-clock surveillance, health monitoring, appropriate milk feeding, and dedicated care by a specially assigned team of animal keepers working in rotation.
Strict biosecurity, sanitation and hygiene protocols, along with appropriate personal protective gears are being followed.
Prem Kumar Jha, PCCF (Wildlife) & Chief Wildlife Warden, Odisha; Dr Manoj V. Nair, APCCF; Sanath Kumar, Director, Nandankanan Biological Park; and Pradeep Mirase, Deputy Director, Nandankanan Zoological Park, were present during the visit.
The Minister expressed satisfaction with the arrangements and appreciated the dedicated efforts of the officers and staff. He advised the authorities to continue providing specialized and intensive care to ensure the health and well-being of the rescued juvenile Orangutans.
The five young orangutans rescued from a forest area in Balasore district were shifted to Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar last night.
In a rare and startling discovery, the animals were found abandoned in a casuarina plantation in the Udayapur-Talsari area of Balasore.
Their presence in Odisha is highly unusual because orangutans are not native to India and are naturally found in Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, an investigation into how the exotic animals reached India and whether wildlife smuggling was involved was underway.
