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Orangutan Trafficking: Network Static Hinders Probe
19 Sep
Summary
- Overlapping mobile networks complicate investigation into orangutan trafficking.
- Five infant orangutans were found abandoned in Balasore's Bichitrapur forest.
- Three of the rescued orangutans are suffering from anemia.
Investigators in Bhubaneswar are grappling with a major obstacle in their pursuit of orangutan traffickers: overlapping mobile networks along the Odisha-West Bengal border. The special task force (STF) is finding it difficult to analyze tower dump data due to frequent switching between state networks, compounded by multiple service providers.
This technical complexity makes identifying suspicious mobile numbers and tracking suspect movements a daunting task. The STF is meticulously sifting through thousands of active mobile numbers from around September 8, the date the critically endangered apes were abandoned. Electronic surveillance in this border area has become exceptionally challenging, as phone locations can be misleading.
The STF is also reviewing CCTV footage and vehicle movement records to reconstruct the transportation route. Forest Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia expressed optimism that the international wildlife smuggling racket would be exposed. Meanwhile, veterinarians reported that three of the five rescued orangutans have anemia, likely due to early separation from their mothers and hand-rearing.
