The committee comprises experts from reputed wildlife and zoological institutions and will provide specialised technical guidance on the care of the animals.
The panel was constituted following the rescue of five live orangutans from the Baleshwar Forest Division on September 8, 2026, and their subsequent transfer to Nandankanan Zoological Park.
According to the Forest Department, the committee will examine issues related to the welfare of the rescued animals and provide technical inputs to ensure their proper care and upkeep in accordance with the provisions of theWild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
The committee includes a veterinary officer from Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, Mysuru, Karnataka, to be nominated by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Karnataka.
A representative nominated by the Director of the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, and the Project Coordinator of the Centre for Wildlife Health, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneswar, have also been included in the panel.
In addition, a veterinary officer nominated by the Director of the National Zoological Park, New Delhi, will serve as a member. The Director of Nandankanan Zoological Park has been designated as the Member-Convener of the committee.
The formation of the technical panel comes in the wake of the seizure and rescue of the five orangutans in Baleshwar and their subsequent relocation to Nandankanan. The committee will provide expert guidance on their housing, health, welfare and overall upkeep.
The committee will initially function for a period of six months, which may be extended from time to time, if required. It has also been empowered to consult or co-opt individuals and organisations of national and international repute whenever necessary.
The Forest Department said the committee has been constituted to ensure that the rescued orangutans are housed and cared for in accordance with the provisions of theWild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, with appropriate technical and expert oversight.
