Rescued orangutan set for return to Indonesia, its natural home

Orangutan that was rescued in the raid. File pic/RAWW/Maharashtra Forest Department

If all goes according to plan, the orangutan rescued from international wildlife trade in Kalyan last November will soon return to Indonesia, its country of origin.
The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change are in talks with the Indonesian government. Once they apply for the import permit, the process of sending the orangutan back will begin. Currently, the orangutan is at the Gorewada Zoo of the Maharashtra Forest Department in Nagpur.

WCCB Regional Deputy Director Yogesh Warkad (IFS) said, "After rescuing the orangutan, we informed the country of origin (Borneo-Indonesia). The Chief Wildlife Warden of Maharashtra is also overseeing the case to ensure the animal's return. We await the Indonesian government's response after writing to them a month ago. Once they approach the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change with an import permit, the repatriation process will accelerate."

The Bornean orangutan is in the custody of the Maharashtra Forest Department. A team of experts, including veterinarians, is caring for this critically endangered animal at Balasaheb Thackeray Gorewada International Zoological Park.

Forest department sources confirmed that experts and veterinarians are monitoring the orangutan's health, with a health status report shared with the Central Zoo Authority.

Chief Wildlife Warden Vivek Khandekar noted that the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change is processing the case.

The Bornean orangutan is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Native to Borneo's rainforests, the species faces extinction due to habitat loss, poaching, and wildlife trade. It is listed in Appendix I of CITES.

On November 20, mid-day reported a raid in a Dombivli flat where the Maharashtra Forest Department and local police rescued an orangutan and exotic reptiles.

"Repatriation of endangered wildlife back to their native country, irrespective of that not being the country from where they were bred in captivity or trafficked is a very important move in wildlife conservation," said Pawan Sharma, honorary wildlife warden of Thane. "Otherwise, these animals will end up in zoos and rescue centres in the country they were seized, unnecessarily straining resources. When sent to their country of origin, they can contribute to rewilding or breeding programs. A strong policy on repatriation of trafficked animals is crucial internationally."

Sachin Bangera, vice president of celebrity and public relations at PETA India, said: "Orangutans in their natural homes swing from tree to tree in tropical rainforests with their families. In captivity, they sit alone in barren cages, traumatically separated from their families. It's vital these smart, social animals live with other orangutans in their home country, not exploited as entertainment or pets."

‘Person of the forest'

Orangutans, native to Indonesia and Malaysia, are listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. "Orangutan" means "person of the forest" in Malay. These intelligent great apes make tools, use leaves as umbrellas, and are semi-solitary, valuing privacy - things denied in captivity.