Indonesia seeks return of five orangutans found in India as fires threaten wildlife

Indonesia is seeking the repatriation of five baby orangutans found in a forest in India's Odisha state, as authorities also continue rescuing orangutans and other wildlife affected by forest and land fires in Indonesian Borneo.

The Ministry of Forestry said the five orangutans were discovered by local forestry authorities on 8 September 2026 in the Bhogarai/Udaipur forest area in Jaleswar, Balasore district, near the border with West Bengal.

The animals, estimated to be between one and one-and-a-half years old, were reportedly found in healthy condition and have been placed under care at Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar.

Initial observations of their physical and morphological characteristics suggest that the animals may originate from Sumatra. The Indonesian government said, however, that this identification remained preliminary and that DNA testing would be required to establish their species and genetic origin.

Indonesia begins repatriation efforts

Orangutans are not native to India. Their natural range is restricted to Indonesia and Malaysia, principally on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.

The discovery of five young orangutans in India has therefore raised concerns that they may have been victims of illegal wildlife trafficking and smuggling involving cross-border networks.

Indonesia's Ministry of Forestry has begun coordinating with India's CITES Management Authority, the Indonesian Embassy in New Delhi, the Indian Embassy in Jakarta, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), which acts as Indonesia's scientific authority, and the Ministry of Agriculture.

The coordination is intended to establish the animals' origins and ensure that any repatriation complies with Indonesian law and international mechanisms, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The ministry has also contacted conservation organisations experienced in orangutan rescue, rehabilitation and release, including Yayasan Ekosistem Lestari, Jaringan Satwa Indonesia, the Center for Orangutan Protection and Forum Orangutan Indonesia.

The organisations have indicated that they are ready to assist with repatriation and the subsequent care and rehabilitation of the five animals if they are returned to Indonesia.

Following repatriation, the orangutans would undergo health examinations, quarantine, genetic identification and behavioural assessment before entering rehabilitation programmes appropriate to their individual conditions. Those that meet the required criteria could eventually be considered for release into their natural habitat.

The ministry said the welfare and safety of the five animals remained the priority while the government continued to investigate their origins and the circumstances surrounding their presence in India.

Fires threaten orangutans in Kalimantan

The discovery in India comes as Indonesia continues to battle forest and land fires across several provinces, with orangutans among the wildlife affected by the fires.

The Ministry of Forestry said its West Kalimantan conservation authorities rescued 24 wild animals between 1 August and 10 September 2026 from 18 locations across three districts.

The rescued animals included 15 orangutans, six pangolins, one proboscis monkey, one slow loris and one common palm civet.

The ministry worked with the Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia (YIARI) and other organisations, while also responding to reports from local residents through a public call centre.

In one of the latest operations, two orangutans were rescued from Sungai Awan Kiri village in Muara Pawan district, Ketapang regency.

The operation followed a report about an adult orangutan and its offspring near a plantation. Teams found that the surrounding habitat had been affected by fires and no longer provided sufficient forest cover.

On 3 September, rescuers evacuated an approximately 20-year-old female orangutan known as Mama Man and her seven-month-old male offspring, Man. They were temporarily placed at YIARI's rehabilitation centre for examination and further care.

Four other orangutans were rescued on 4 September after being found near a community plantation in Pemangkat village, Simpang Hilir district, Kayong Utara. The animals, identified as Noval, Nopan, Mamak Novi and Novi, were also transferred to YIARI for examination, treatment, rehabilitation and monitoring.

The animals will remain under temporary care while fires continue to affect their habitat. Their future release will depend on health assessments and recommendations from conservation specialists.

569 high-confidence hotspots detected

The Ministry of Forestry said 569 high-confidence hotspots were detected nationally as of 9 September, compared with 395 the previous day.

The data, recorded through the ministry's SiPongi system using NASA Terra/Aqua, SNPP and NOAA-20 satellite observations, showed Central Kalimantan had the largest number among six priority provinces, with 96 hotspots.

West Kalimantan recorded 39, South Sumatra 34, Riau 18, South Kalimantan nine and Jambi two.

West Kalimantan recorded the largest daily decline, falling from 134 to 39 high-confidence hotspots.

The ministry stressed that hotspots indicate surface-temperature anomalies detected by satellites and do not automatically represent individual fires. Each indication requires verification on the ground.

Manggala Agni firefighters, alongside the military, police, disaster-management authorities, local governments, communities and businesses, have continued patrols, ground checks, direct firefighting, firebreak operations, mopping-up and cooling operations.

The government has deployed 53 aircraft to support firefighting operations in the six priority provinces. Thirty-four are being used for water bombing, while 19 are assigned to aerial patrols and weather-modification operations.

Smoke continues to affect visibility

Meteorological observations on 10 September showed smoke affecting visibility in several priority areas.

Pontianak recorded visibility of about 1.2 kilometres under smoky conditions, while Palangka Raya recorded about three kilometres. Jambi recorded approximately two kilometres.

Pekanbaru recorded about six kilometres under partly cloudy conditions, while Palembang and Banjarmasin recorded visibility of at least 10 kilometres.

The ministry said visibility remained dynamic and could change with smoke concentrations, wind, humidity, rainfall and developments at fire locations.

Environmental groups warn of health and habitat impacts

Environmental and civil-society groups have warned that the fires are affecting both public health and wildlife.

Greenpeace Indonesia cited data from the Central Kalimantan Health Office showing 72,431 acute respiratory infection cases by the third week of August, with Palangka Raya recording the largest number. The group said the Ministry of Health had also recorded 50,891 cumulative respiratory infection cases across seven provinces between June and August.

Greenpeace said fires had affected peatlands and wildlife habitats, while Auriga Nusantara estimated that 178,232 hectares had burned across Indonesia during the first half of 2026.

Auriga said fires had affected areas within habitats of several threatened species, including approximately 3,400 hectares of orangutan habitat.

The groups have called for stronger enforcement against companies whose concession areas repeatedly burn, greater protection of peatlands and measures to prevent further fires.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Forestry has urged communities not to clear or prepare land by burning and asked residents to report smoke, fires or signs of burning as early as possible.

The authorities are continuing to investigate the origins of the five orangutans found in India while carrying out rescue operations for wildlife affected by fires at home.

If the animals in Odisha are confirmed to be Indonesian orangutans, the government said it would continue efforts to return them to Indonesia and support the investigation into the possible illegal wildlife-trafficking network behind their movement.