Indonesia repatriates Sumatran orangutan rescued in India

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3 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia has repatriated a Sumatran orangutan that was rescued from an apartment in Maharashtra, western India, in November 2024, Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said.

Antoni received the male orangutan at the cargo terminal of Kualanamu International Airport in Deli Serdang District, North Sumatra, on Monday. He said the repatriation was not merely about returning the animal to its country of origin but also reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to wildlife protection.

“The repatriation also reaffirms Indonesia’s commitment to ensuring that every wild animal victimized by illegal trade has the opportunity to recover and, if it meets the necessary requirements, return to its natural habitat,” Antoni said in a statement confirmed on Tuesday.

Antoni thanked the Indian government and Indonesian representatives in Mumbai, emphasizing that cross-border cooperation was essential to strengthening efforts to combat illegal wildlife trade and protect biodiversity.

The orangutan was estimated to be 18–20 months old when Indian authorities rescued it from an apartment in Thane, Maharashtra, on November 12, 2024.

Following its rescue, the orangutan received intensive care at the Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, also known as Vantara, in Jamnagar, Gujarat.

During treatment, the orangutan experienced health complications reportedly involving bronchopneumonia or a viral respiratory tract infection. Its condition gradually improved with medical treatment and intensive monitoring by the centre’s team, and it was eventually declared fit to travel to Indonesia.

Before its repatriation, the orangutan underwent physical examinations and laboratory tests conducted by the relevant authorities and the centre’s medical team.

The latest examination results, obtained in late August 2026, confirmed that the orangutan was healthy and fit to travel. Tests also returned negative results for tuberculosis (TB) and hepatitis A and B.

Upon arrival at Kualanamu International Airport, the orangutan was scheduled to undergo an initial examination by veterinarians and quarantine officers before being transferred to the Sumatran Rescue Alliance rehabilitation facility in Langkat District, North Sumatra.

The Indonesian government has emphasized that illegal wildlife trade poses a serious threat to biodiversity conservation.

Through the repatriation, the government reiterated that conservation efforts do not end with rescuing wildlife and returning it to its country of origin.