Three Sumatran orangutans who were trafficked were returned from Thailand to Indonesia on Thursday as a collaborative effort between the two countries to combat the unlawful trade of wildlife.

Nobita, Shizuka, and Brian were all 7, 7, and 5 years old respectively. They used to reside in a wildlife sanctuary located in the western Thai province of Ratchaburi. According to officials, there are currently no orangutans who were previously trafficked being taken care of by Thai authorities after the repatriation.

Rachmat Budiman, the Ambassador of Indonesia to Thailand, expressed gratitude to the governments of both nations for the return of the orangutans. He also shared that he has conflicting emotions about the situation, as he is glad that the orangutans will be back in their native environment, but is also saddened for the Thai caretakers who had formed a bond with the animals over many years.

Indonesia paid for transportation and health checks as the orangutans were moved from the sanctuary to Jakarta via Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

Rachtmat mentioned that the animals will first be transferred to a rehabilitation facility in Sumatra before being released back into their original environment.

According to Athapol Charoenchansa, the director-general of Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, the repatriation is significant as it demonstrates the joint effort of both countries in combating the illegal trade of wildlife. He also expressed his hope that it would increase awareness about wildlife conservation in the area.

Thai and Indonesian authorities provided bananas and dragon fruit to the animals while they were exhibited in crates at Bangkok airport before being loaded onto the plane.

Nobita and Shizuka, who share names with characters from the well-known Japanese cartoon Doraemon, were discovered in Bangkok in 2016 as part of a sting operation by wildlife authorities. They were being sold online for $20,000 when they were just a few months old. Photos of the baby orangutans cuddling in a basket in the back of a taxi became popular on social media.

In 2019, Brian, a male orangutan, was saved from traffickers and delivered to Thai wildlife authorities.

Thailand has sent 74 orangutans back to Indonesia since 2006 in six batches, including the three on Thursday. In 2020, two orangutans named Ung-Ing and Natalie were repatriated.

The CITES agreement bans the global trade of orangutans, who reside exclusively in the forests of Sumatra and Borneo. However, their habitats are diminishing as agricultural land expands, making them more susceptible to illegal hunting. The International Union for Conservation of Nature, which monitors the state of the environment, has designated orangutans as critically endangered.

Orangutans are often sold into the pet trade and for display in zoos and other attractions.

Source: wral.com