JAKARTA, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia repatriated four orangutans that were victims of illegal wildlife trafficking from Thailand, said the Ministry of Forestry.
The four, comprising three Sumatran orangutans and one Tapanuli orangutan that are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, arrived at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten province, on Tuesday afternoon.
"I am deeply shaken and saddened that illegal wildlife trading continues to occur. It requires hard work and strong synergy among ministries and agencies to safeguard our borders so that such crimes do not happen again," Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni said in a press release on late Tuesday.
The four orangutans were seized by Thai authorities in January and May 2025, when they were estimated to be under one month old, and were later cared for at the Khao Pratubchang Wildlife Rescue Centre in Ratchaburi province.
The orangutans will be treated and rehabilitated at the Sumatran Rescue Alliance Rehabilitation Centre in North Sumatra before being released back into their natural habitat. ■
