Three Orangutans Rescued in Odisha Suffering From Anemia: Officials

According to a diet table drawn up by experts, baby orangutans receive milk every two hours, in addition to liquids with apples and bananas and boiled potatoes at regular intervals. | Photo credit: PTI

Three out of five baby orangutans rescued in Odisha are anemic, officials said on Wednesday (16 Sep 2026).

A comprehensive health examination of the primates, including X-rays and blood tests, was carried out after one of the young orangutans developed a fever, they said.

According to a health bulletin issued by the Nandankanan Zoological Park, where the orangutans were quarantined, an internal hematological analysis found severe anemia in one of the primates and mild anemia in two others.

“Supportive supplementation for the said baby orangutans as recommended by the Technical Commission has already been initiated,” it said.

“X-rays of the chest, abdomen and skull were taken, and blood, serum and nasopharyngeal swab samples were taken from all five animals. Laboratory tests are ongoing,” it added.

Nandankanan Zoological Park Director Sanath Kumar N. said the overall health of the orangutans appears to be stable.

Four of the five animals recorded body temperatures of 98.4 degrees Fahrenheit, while the male orangutan recorded 99 degrees Fahrenheit, the official said.

“This particular male orangutan has been showing a slightly higher temperature than the others since his arrival at the Nandakanan Zoological Park on the night of September 8,” he said.

Blood samples are also tested for parameters such as hemoglobin and white blood cell count, while stool and urine samples are examined, he said.

The samples will also be used for DNA testing to determine the origin of the rescued animals, which could help an ongoing investigation into suspected wildlife smuggling, he added.

A laboratory capable of conducting the DNA test is being identified, the official said, adding that the facility will need to have standard orangutan DNA profiles for comparison. “Such labs are not very common,” he said.

Aditya Acharya, head of the Center for Wildlife Health (CWH) at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, said the priority was animal welfare. “When it comes to DNA tests, zoo authorities will take a call on where and when to send the samples,” he said.

Five orangutans were rescued from a forest in Balasore district on September 8.

According to a diet table drawn up by experts, baby orangutans receive milk every two hours, in addition to liquids with apples and bananas and boiled potatoes at regular intervals.

So far, no major breakthrough in the probe

The Odisha Police’s Special Task Force (STF) and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), which are jointly probing the suspected international animal smuggling that led to the animals being brought into the state, have not made any major breakthrough in the investigation so far, officials said.

Bhograi MLA Goutam Buddha Das of the BJD criticized the state government over the pace of the investigation and urged Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to hand over the case to a central agency like the CBI or the NIA. “Since there is an element of international smuggling involved in the case, a professional investigation at a high level is most necessary,” Das said.

However, BJP spokesperson Anil Biswal said the Odisha Police STF was able to solve the case with the help of the WCCB. “The BJD MLA is politicizing the issue out of thin air,” Biswal said.

Orangutans are not native to India and are found primarily in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra, officials said.

Published – 17 Sep 2026 03:15 IST