Five baby orangutans found in India eating bananas by the highway
In the Indian state of Odisha, local residents accidentally found five baby orangutans by the highway. The animals were eating bananas and were thousands of kilometers away from their natural habitat — the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, The Guardian reports .
Photos of these baby apes quickly spread on social media. It is assumed that people might have brought them the bananas. After the discovery was reported to the forest service, specialists provided first aid to the animals and then transported them to a zoological park in the state's administrative center. The orangutans are now there in quarantine under the supervision of specialists.
A local forest service employee stated that orangutans could not have reached Odisha naturally. According to him, the babies were likely transported there by road. It is possible they had been in this unfamiliar location for two or three days.
Particular concern is raised by the very young age of the animals. Orangutan mothers usually care for their young for the first few years of their lives, teaching them the skills necessary for independent survival during this time.
Law enforcement has launched an investigation, as there is suspicion that the baby orangutans may have become victims of illegal trafficking. Specialists are now trying to determine how these rare apes ended up in India.
The state's Environment Minister stated that an international criminal group might be involved in the transportation of the animals.
International commercial trade in orangutans is prohibited. According to the World Wildlife Fund, there are currently about 104,000 of these apes left in Borneo and Sumatra. Approximately a century ago, their numbers were significantly higher — about 230,000.
All three modern species of orangutans are critically endangered. For many years, their numbers have been declining due to deforestation, habitat loss, and hunting.
Despite their protected status, orangutans continue to be illegally trafficked and sold as exotic pets or for private collections.
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