Baleshwar, Sept. 8 -- The rescue of five young orangutans, an endangered ape species native to the rainforests of Southeast Asia and not found in the wild in India, in Baleshwar district has raised suspicion of an organised wildlife-smuggling network operating along Odisha's coastal belt.
The five orangutans, believed to be around two years old, were spotted by local residents in the Bichitrapur forest area under the Udaipur forest range on Tuesday.
The animals' unusual appearance puzzled the villagers, who immediately alerted the forest authorities.
A team of forest personnel reached the spot and rescued the five orangutans, Baleshwar Wildlife Division Divisional Forest Officer Pratik Prakash Indalkar said.
The rescued animals were fou...