Apes seized from wildlife traffickers and cared for at Ratchaburi nursery prior to return
PUBLISHED : 21 Dec 2023 at 17:54
Three orangutans seized from a transnational wildlife trafficking ring were repatriated to their homeland in Indonesia on Thursday.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Phatcharavat Wongsuwan presided over the repatriation ceremony held at Suvarnabhumi airport.
Also attending were Rachmat Budiman, the Indonesian ambassador to Thailand; Jatuporn Burusapa, permanent secretary for the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry; and Athapol Charoenchunsa, director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.
The department had earlier rescued the three orangutans from a wildlife smuggling ring before taking them to a wildlife nursery in Ratchaburi province. The apes were Nobita, aged 7, Shisuka, 7, and Bryant, 4. Shisuka was the only female.
(Photo: Somchai Poomlard)
Pol Pol Gen Phatcharavat said the return of the orangutans to their country of origin would strengthen the relations between the two countries, which are marking the 73rd anniversary of diplomatic ties.
The three primates were flown back to Indonesia on a Garuda Indonesia Airline flight.
Between 2013 and 2017, Thailand rescued 14 smuggled orangutans from wildlife trafficking gangs and repatriated them to Indonesia. Since 2006, the kingdom has repatriated a total of 71 orangutans to Indonesia.