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Orangutan Rescued in India Returns Home to Indonesia
19 Oct
Summary
- An orangutan rescued from illegal trade in India has been repatriated to Indonesia.
- The primate was housed at a rehabilitation center in Gujarat before its flight.
- This marks the first known repatriation of a wild animal rescued in India.
A male orangutan, rescued from illegal wildlife trade in India's Thane district, has arrived in Indonesia, marking a significant milestone as likely the first repatriation of a wild animal rescued in India. The primate, approximately three years old, was discovered in a cramped cage within a bathroom in Dombivli. Following its rescue by the Thane Forest Division, the orangutan was housed at the Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Gujarat since March 2025, under the orders of a Supreme Court-appointed committee.
The repatriation involved a private plane transporting the orangutan from Ahmedabad to Jakarta, with officials from India's Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and Vantara staff overseeing the journey. Indonesian government officials also accompanied the primate. Upon arrival, Indian officials will ensure its handover to a quarantine area, after which it is expected to be transferred to a rehabilitation center.
The orangutan was initially housed at the Balasaheb Thackeray Gorewada International Zoological Park in Nagpur before its transfer to Vantara. A repatriation process coordinated with Indonesia was already in motion for this particular orangutan in 2025. Orangutans are listed under Appendix I of CITES, strictly regulating their international trade and encouraging repatriation when feasible, a principle supported by India's Wildlife Protection Act.
