Stolen Gazipur lemurs traced to India
Two endangered ring-tailed lemurs stolen from Bangladesh’s Gazipur Safari Park last year have been traced to a wildlife rescue and conservation facility in Gujarat managed by Anant Ambani, highlighting the cross-border reach of wildlife trafficking networks and the challenges of recovering illegally traded animals.
Bangladesh has sought assis tance from the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to bring the two lemurs back, according to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Investigators said the animals were allegedly sold after passing through several intermediaries for about Rs4.8 million.
The case has also exposed gaps in wildlife identification and tracking, as the lemurs had no microchips, unique identification numbers or stored DNA profiles that could establish their identity and ownership, investigators said.
The development comes as Indian authorities investigate another suspected wildlife-trafficking case in Odisha, where five baby orangutans were found abandoned in a forest thousands of miles from their natural habitat.
The two cases, emerging within days of each other, have drawn attention to the movement of endangered species across South and Southeast Asia and the risks posed by the illegal capture, sale and transportation of wildlife.
Lemurs smuggled into India
CID investigations and confessional statements made in court by arrested suspects have revealed details of the theft and subsequent trafficking of the lemurs, investigators said.
Three lemurs were stolen from Gazipur Safari Park in the early hours of 23 March 2025. Two of them were later smuggled into India through the Darshana border in Chuadanga.
Authorities at Gazipur Safari Park filed a case the following day, which is now being investigated by the CID.
Investigators said the two animals were subsequently passed through several intermediaries before being sold for about Rs4.8 million.
The lemurs were eventually traced to Banatara, a wildlife rescue and conservation project in Gujarat managed by Anant Ambani, the younger son of Reliance chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani.
Bangladesh has sought Interpol’s assistance in recovering the animals and returning them to the country.
The repatriation process has been complicated by the absence of microchips, unique identification numbers and stored DNA profiles, making it more difficult to establish the animals’ identity and ownership.
Banatara is owned by Reliance, one of India’s leading industrial and business conglomerates, and forms part of a 3,500-acre conservation centre. Although the facility had begun operating earlier, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally inaugurated it in March 2025. It is overseen by Anant Ambani.
Orangutans found in Odisha
In a separate case, five baby orangutans were found abandoned in the Bichitrapur forest area of Bhograi block in Odisha’s Balasore district.
The discovery has prompted Indian authorities to investigate how the critically endangered apes reached an area far outside their natural habitat. The Odisha government has asked the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) to investigate.
Videos circulating online showed the animals huddled together on the forest floor and eating bananas.
Odisha Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia said a forest patrol team rescued the five orangutans on Tuesday.
“These animals are not found in India and are mostly seen in rainforests of Malaysia, Indonesia, Borneo and Sumatra in Southeast Asia. We suspect that they might have been released in the Balasore district forest, which borders West Bengal, by an international wildlife smuggling racket,” he told reporters in Bhubaneswar.
He said each orangutan could fetch Rs20-25 lakh on the international market.
Singhkhuntia said the animals could have been brought into Odisha by air, water or rail.
“We have urged the WCCB to probe the incident and asked the airport, railway stations and ports to verify their CCTV cameras, as the animals might have been brought through their transportation facilities,” he said.
Forest department officials are working to ensure the animals remain safe, with veterinary doctors from Simlipal National Park monitoring their health.
Balasore District Forest Officer Pratik Praksh Indalkar told PTI that the orangutans were healthy and eating.
“We are conducting a detailed inquiry into where these animals have come from and when they have reached here. However, at present our focus is to keep them safe and healthy,” he said.
A senior forest official said the orangutans “are calm and not harming anyone or getting irritated by human presence”.
Authorities urged members of the public who gathered to see the animals to maintain a safe distance.
The two cases underscore the difficulties authorities face in preventing endangered animals from being stolen, trafficked and moved across international borders.
They also highlight the importance of stronger wildlife identification systems, tighter monitoring of trafficking routes and greater cooperation between countries to ensure trafficked animals can be traced and repatriated.
