Odisha Orangutan Case Explained: CITES, Law and Smuggling

Five orphaned orangutans that had been rescued from the Bichitrapur forest of the Balasore district in Odisha have come into focus concerning wildlife trafficking internationally and the legal protection of exotic animals in India. The infant primates had been discovered on September 8, 2026, in Bichitrapur forest, Odisha and transferred to Nandankanan Zoo in Bhubaneswar for quarantine. As the orangutans are indigenous to South-East Asia, and not to India, it has become necessary for the authorities to trace their source and check if the orangutans were trafficked.

Orangutans and their Natural Habitat

There exist three extant orangutan species: Bornean orangutan, Sumatran orangutan, and Tapanuli orangutan.

Orangutans are found naturally only in the islands of Borneo and Sumatra in South East Asia. All three species of orangutans have been categorized by the IUCN as critically endangered.

Orangutans are well-adapted for living in tropical rainforests and spend most of their life in trees.

Since their limited natural habitat range makes any unexplained sightings very significant in the context of wildlife trafficking.

Orangutans found in Odisha are believed to belong to the Sumatran species due to their physical appearance; however, DNA tests are necessary to confirm their species identity and geographical provenance. It should be noted that blood samples have already been collected for this purpose.

CITES and International Wildlife Trade

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is the main international regime governing international wildlife trade.

CITES came into operation in 1975 and India is a signatory since 1976. CITES does not ban all forms of international wildlife trade; rather it manages the trade by means of permit and certificate system in order to ensure that the trade does not pose a threat to the survival of the species.

CITES categorises the species into three appendices depending upon the extent of their protection. The orangutans fall in Appendix I that provides the highest level of protection.

In respect of the species of Appendix I, international commercial trade is not allowed whereas restricted non-commercial trade is allowed.

India and Law for Repatriation

The Indian Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 has been modified in 2022 in order to better conform with the requirements of CITES.

Accordingly, the amended legislation contains provisions which address matters regarding CITES-listed live animals specifically.

Thus, in relation to the Odisha case, it becomes crucial to ascertain the legality of importation and provenance of the animals prior to any decision regarding repatriation.

CITES does not mandate per se that every confiscated specimen shall be released back into the wild or even returned to a specific country. Repatriation requires consultations and scientific evaluation of the situation and the animal’s condition.

Indonesia offered help in repatriation if it will be ascertained that the animals are of Indonesian origin. Yet, the DNA testing and ongoing investigation is crucial before such conclusion could be made.

What the Assam Case Reveals

The Odisha case bears some resemblance to another case in Assam. In 2022, there was a case of two orangutan babies being discovered in a box at Lailapur checkpost located close to the Assam-Mizoram border. The orangutans have been confirmed to be of Sumatran variety and are currently housed at the Assam State Zoo.

The case reveals one of the major difficulties of enforcing the law which is that the rescue of the animal does not automatically mean the origin, transportation route, or repatriation of the animal has been established.

Exotic Pet Trade in India

This case also brings up the issue of the increasing interest towards exotic animals in India. In 2026, the Humane World for Animals India, in cooperation with Kritika Balaji, a specialist in the wildlife trade, discovered gaps in the regulation of the exotic pet trade in India. This includes online trade of exotic pets, poor regulation of non-CITES species and problems that are experienced by rescue centers.

The report also points out that the trade poses both animal welfare and biosecurity risks. Thus, the exotic animal trade in India is not only a problem of conservation, but may include law enforcement and biosecurity issues as well.