Rescued baby orangutans in Odisha undergo DNA tests after fever scare

Five rescued baby orangutans at Nandankanan underwent fresh health checks and sampling after one developed fever. The tests will help track their origin as agencies investigate suspected international wildlife smuggling.

X-rays were carried out and blood samples were collected from five rescued baby orangutans kept in quarantine at Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday, as officials assessed their health and prepared for DNA testing. The examinations were conducted for the second time within 24 hours after one of the primates developed fever.

Officials said the orangutans appeared stable overall, and that the DNA tests were important to establish the origin of the animals and support the ongoing investigation. The five juveniles, rescued from a forest in Balasore district on September 8, will remain in quarantine for 30 days, while the Odisha Police's Special Task Force and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau continue a joint probe into suspected international wildlife smuggling.

"The overall health condition of the orangutans seems to be stable. X-rays and blood samples of the animals were taken to ascertain their individual health condition," Nandankanan Zoological Park Director Sanath Kumar N told reporters.

A senior Forest Department official said the blood samples would also be used for DNA testing and that a suitable laboratory was being identified. "An appropriate laboratory needs to have the standard DNA sample profile of orangutans for comparison. Such laboratories are not very common," he said. He added that the samples were also being tested for blood parameters such as haemoglobin and white blood cell count, while stool and urine samples were also being examined. "The priority is the well-being of the babies. Regarding DNA tests, zoo authorities will take the call on where and when to send the samples," said Aditya Acharya, head of the Centre for Wildlife Health at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology.

Officials said orangutans are not native to India and are mainly found in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. One of the primates developed a high body temperature on Sunday and was then put on medication. On Tuesday, members of a technical committee formed by the principal chief conservator of forests (Wildlife), Odisha, visited the quarantine area and examined all five orangutans. After the examination, the zoo said the body temperatures of the five animals were between 98 and 99 degrees Fahrenheit. "All five are apparently stable, with normal feed acceptance and improved activity," an official said. According to a dietary chart prepared by experts, the animals are being fed milk every two hours, along with apple and banana fluids and boiled potatoes at regular intervals.

The rescued orangutans will stay in quarantine as health tests and DNA-related steps continue, while investigators try to trace their origin. Officials said there has been no major breakthrough in the probe so far.