A six-member team of experts on Tuesday examined the health of five baby orangutans being kept in quarantine at Odisha’s Nandankanan Zoological Park, days after they were rescued from a forest in Balasore district. The review came after one of the infant primates developed a fever on Sunday and was put on medication, officials said.
The orangutans, a species native to the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra, were rescued on September 8, triggering an investigation into suspected wildlife trafficking. Zoo authorities said all five infants are now stable and under close observation.
In a statement, Nandankanan Zoological Park said members of a technical committee constituted by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Odisha, visited the quarantine facility and assessed the health of all five orangutans.
“After further examination and discussions tomorrow, the committee will submit its observations,” the zoo said.
According to a health bulletin issued by the zoo, the body temperatures of the five infant orangutans ranged between 98 and 99 degrees Fahrenheit.
“All five are apparently stable, with normal feed acceptance and improved activity,” an official said.
Zoo veterinarians are monitoring the animals continuously. Authorities have also made special arrangements for their care, including mosquito nets and a temperature-controlled room.
Aditya Acharya, head of the Centre for Wildlife Health at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, said elevated body temperature in orangutans is monitored in a manner similar to humans and treated accordingly. As per a diet chart prepared by experts, the animals are being fed milk every two hours, along with apple and banana fluids and boiled potatoes at regular intervals.
Following the rescue, the Odisha government constituted a five-member technical committee to oversee the orangutans’ care. Meanwhile, the Odisha Police’s Special Task Force and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau are jointly investigating a suspected international wildlife smuggling network linked to the case. Officials said there has been no major breakthrough in the probe so far.
– Ends
Published By:
India Today Web Desk
Published On:
Sep 16, 2026 01:26 IST
