Guwahati: A baby Sumatran orangutan rescued from an apartment in Mumbai in November 2024 has been repatriated to Indonesia following coordinated efforts by wildlife protection agencies in India and the CITES Management Authorities of both countries.
The orangutan arrived at Kualanamu Airport in Medan on October 19 after being transferred from Gujarat. Officials from the Consulate General of India in Medan attended a reception ceremony organised by Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry at the airport.
The baby orangutan was seized from an apartment in Mumbai, where officials also recovered 15 reptiles, including pythons and iguanas, kept in plastic containers.
Since its rescue, the orangutan has received veterinary care and suitable accommodation from Indian wildlife authorities. The Government of India also waived all historical costs associated with its care and maintenance.
An Indian government official said the repatriation reflected the close bilateral ties between India and Indonesia and their shared commitment to protecting endangered species. The official added that the operation could serve as a precedent for future cooperation in wildlife conservation.
The repatriation comes amid other cases involving young orangutans found in India. Authorities are working to repatriate five baby orangutans rescued in Odisha in September. Their origins and the circumstances surrounding their suspected trafficking are under investigation.
The five orangutans are currently being cared for at Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar. The Embassy of India in Jakarta is facilitating a visit by Indonesian wildlife experts from the country’s Ministry of Forestry in November in this regard.
In 2022, two baby orangutans were found at a checkpoint near the Assam-Mizoram border. Officials suspected they had been smuggled into India from Myanmar.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international treaty that regulates trade in wild animals and plants to help ensure their survival. Despite international and domestic restrictions on illegal wildlife trade, orangutans continue to be trafficked.