Context
Recently, five baby orangutans were rescued from a forest area in Balasore district, Odisha, far outside their natural habitat. Authorities suspect that they were brought into India through an international wildlife-smuggling network, prompting investigation by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB).
Explanation
- Orangutans are great apes native exclusively to the tropical rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra in Southeast Asia; they are the largest predominantly arboreal mammals.
- Three living species are recognised: Bornean, Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutans; all are classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
- Major threats include deforestation, habitat fragmentation, palm-oil expansion, hunting and illegal pet trade.
- All orangutans are listed in Appendix I of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), which generally prohibits their international commercial trade.
- India’s Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 regulates possession and trade involving protected wildlife, including CITES-listed species.
- The WCCB, under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, combats organised wildlife crime and coordinates with national and international enforcement agencies.
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Orangutan Trafficking