To help the five rescued orangutans beat stress, authorities of Nandankanan Zoological Park in Odisha have turned to music therapy with soothing classical, instrumental tunes being played during their feeding sessions.

WHY IT MATTERS

The sighting of 5 baby orangutans in Balasore has become a subject of much curiosity and concern. Since the species are not native to India, police are looking into a possible smuggling network

Nandankanan deputy director Pradeep Mirase said the step was taken as per the suggestions of biologists and after referring to several research papers. “We are sure that it will help them relax and they will feel safe here. We have also undertaken other measures like providing them with soft toys and slings to engage them in activities,” said Mirase.

 

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According to experts, orangutans generally stay with their mothers until they are about seven to eight years old. Being separated from their mothers and undertaking a journey of more than 4,000 km to an entirely new environment could have contributed to their stress and anxiety, they said.

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The decision to play music is part of enrichment activities by the zoo authorities as such steps have proven to be capable of improving activity and biological functioning as well as reducing fearful, aggressive and abnormal behaviour among the orangutans, officials said.

In videos released by the zoo authorities, the apes could be seen playing with orangutan soft toys and dangling on slings, when not consuming the food being administered to them at regular intervals by dedicated zoo keepers.

Field notes — great apes of the rainforest canopy

What are orangutans?

Asia's only great ape, and the largest tree-dwelling mammal on Earth — found nowhere in the wild except two islands, thousands of kilometres from where five juveniles were just found in an Odisha forest.

At a glance

Built for a life in the treetops

Orangutans spend nearly all of their lives above the forest floor, using extraordinary arm strength and grip to move hand over hand through the canopy rather than leaping like monkeys.

1–1.5 ft Height of a juvenile, like the five found in Odisha

2.2 m Arm span of an adult male, nearly twice their standing height

40 yrs Average lifespan in the wild

55 yrs Maximum lifespan reached in captivity

Native range

Two islands, and nowhere else

Wild orangutans exist only in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra in Southeast Asia. There is no natural land corridor connecting these islands to India — which is why officials say the Odisha sighting could not have been a natural migration.

Sumatra & Borneo The only two places wild orangutans exist — both in Southeast Asia

Balasore, Odisha Where the five juveniles were found — roughly 2,700 km away

The Balasore DFO's view "Chances of natural migration is less as there is no corridor link. It must be a human-induced act."

The five baby orangutans were rescued from a forest in the state’s Balasore district on Tuesday, raising concerns among authorities, who suspect the involvement of a global smuggling ring since the animals are not native to Odisha.

An expert team from the Centre for Wildlife Health of Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) is in constant touch with the zoo authorities and steps are being taken on the upkeep of the orangutans as per their suggestions.

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The expert panel has also recommended moving the orangutans to an open enclosure after three to four days, allowing them to get sunlight and help them adjust with the surroundings, said Mirase.

The orangutans are native only to the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra in Southeast Asia and currently facing a severe survival crisis, with all three species classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List (International Union for Conservation of Nature).

Unusual sighting in an Odisha forest: 5 baby orangutans

“We have rescued 5 baby orangutans and brought them to the forest office. 4 of the 5 babies are healthy. Veterinary doctors are examining and treating them”: Balasore Divisional Forest Officer Pratik Prakash Indalkar told… pic.twitter.com/P2emXEKOGI

The decision to collect their blood sample on Thursday was also deferred as the animals are stressed and yet to acclimatise with the environment. “It generally takes seven to eight days for the apes to acclimatise with the environment and to remain stress-free. As per recommendation of the expert team, we have decided to collect blood samples for DNA profiling and other requirements after 10 days,” said a zoo official.

Further decisions regarding the orangutans will be taken once they stabilise, and following approval of the central zoo authorities and other agencies concerned.

Hunt for smugglers intensifies

Meanwhile, a possible inter-state wildlife smuggling racket is under scanner as two separate teams of the special task force intensified their hunt for the smugglers. Two teams from the wildlife crime control bureau’s (WCCB) Kolkata and Bhopal unit are also coordinating with the STF to ascertain the international smuggling link as the officials suspect the animals are from Borneo.

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Based on circumstantial evidence, officials said the smugglers are believed to be using the interior road networks of West Bengal and Odisha to avoid national highways where they anticipate monitoring and checking. The STF is verifying CCTV footage along the interior routes and tracking movement of vehicles, said an official.