: In a bizarre and unusual incident, five animals suspected to be orangutans were spotted roaming in a forest area in Bhogarai block of Odisha’s Balasore district, leaving local residents startled.
The animals were reportedly spotted by villagers in the Bichitrapur village forest area near the Ranakotha-Badapahi region. After noticing the unusual animals moving through the forest, locals alerted the Bhogarai Forest Department.
Acting on the information, a team of forest officials reached the spot and rescued all five animals. A veterinary team also examined them and provided preliminary medical care at the Bhogarai veterinary hospital.
According to preliminary information, the animals are suspected to be orangutans. However, their exact species and origin are yet to be officially confirmed.
The Forest Department has launched an investigation into how the animals reached the Bichitrapur forest. Officials are particularly intrigued by the incident as orangutans are not native to India and are not naturally found in the country’s forests.
The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) said that if the animals are confirmed to be orangutans, arrangements will be made to shift them to the Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar.
The sighting has raised several questions among forest officials and local residents. Authorities are trying to determine whether the animals escaped from captivity, were transported from another location, or reached the area through some other means.
The Bichitrapur village forest lies close to the Subarnarekha riverbed and is surrounded by Hental vegetation. The area generally witnesses limited movement of people, which may have allowed the animals to remain unnoticed before they were spotted by villagers.
For now, the rescued animals are under observation and receiving veterinary care. Further examination and investigation by the Forest Department are expected to establish their species and trace their origin.