Health Alert at Nandankanan: Rescued Baby Orangutan Develops Fever

BHUBANESWAR – Authorities at Odisha’s Nandankanan Zoological Park are on high alert after one of five rescued infant orangutans began displaying signs of illness. The young animal, which has been in quarantine since arriving at the facility on September 8, developed a high fever on Sunday, prompting an immediate medical response from the zoo’s veterinary team.

The five orangutans, a species not native to India, were rescued recently from a casuarina forest in the Balasore district. Their discovery and subsequent transfer to Nandankanan have sparked nationwide concern regarding the illegal wildlife trade. While four of the rescued infants remain healthy and are showing normal behavior, the condition of the fifth has become a point of urgent focus for zoo officials.

Round-the-Clock Monitoring

Zoo authorities confirmed that the infant has been struggling with a persistent, fluctuating fever since its arrival. While the fever has shown signs of receding following medical intervention, it has reappeared periodically.

“The infant is stable but remains under strict, round-the-clock medical supervision,” a senior zoo official stated. “Our veterinarians are treating the animal with appropriate medications to manage the temperature while conducting continuous observation to ensure its condition does not deteriorate.”

Experts Weigh In on Potential Risks

The health crisis has drawn attention to the environmental and physiological challenges faced by the animals. Niranjan Sahoo, former director of the Centre for Wildlife Health at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), emphasized that determining the root cause of the fever is critical to protecting the rest of the group.

“We must establish whether this is an infectious condition or a secondary reaction to the extreme stress these animals have endured,” Sahoo explained. “If the fever is infectious, there is a risk of transmission to the other infants. However, if the cause is non-infectious—stemming from the trauma of trafficking and long-distance transport—the medical approach will differ significantly.”

According to Sahoo, factors such as the infants’ weakened immunity and their early nutritional history are likely contributing to their current susceptibility. He highlighted that the lack of adequate early nutrition, particularly colostrum—the mother’s first milk that provides vital antibodies—may have left these infants vulnerable to infections that would typically be manageable in a wild setting.

A Growing Wildlife Trafficking Concern

The rescue of the five orangutans has highlighted a disturbing trend in wildlife trafficking within India. The animals, which are endemic to the rainforests of Southeast Asia, were found in a vulnerable state in a Balasore forest, far from their natural habitat. This incident follows other recent high-profile seizures, including the recovery of endangered species from residential areas in metropolitan cities like Mumbai.

As the Nandankanan veterinary team continues their work, the primary objective remains the stabilization of the sick infant and the prevention of any potential outbreak within the quarantine facility. Officials have indicated that the duration of the quarantine period may be extended to ensure the long-term health and welfare of all five animals before they are integrated further into the care programs at the zoo.

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