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Three trafficked Sumatran orangutans have been despatched again from Thailand to Indonesia as a part of a joint effort between the nations to deal with the unlawful wildlife commerce.
Nobita and Shizuka, each seven years previous, and five-year-old Brian had been residing at a wildlife sanctuary within the western Thai province of Ratchaburi.
After the repatriation, there are not any extra trafficked orangutans presently below the care of authorities in Thailand, officers stated.
Rachmat Budiman, Indonesia’s Ambassador to Thailand, thanked the authorities in each nations for the repatriation and stated he has “blended emotions” about it – glad the orangutans can be again of their pure habitat however unhappy for the caretakers in Thailand who bonded with the animals throughout a number of years.
The orangutans have been transported from the sanctuary to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Worldwide Airport earlier than being placed on a aircraft to Jakarta.
Thai officers stated Indonesia covers the price of transportation and the animals’ well being examinations.
They are going to be despatched to a rehabilitation centre in Sumatra earlier than being launched into their pure habitat, Rachtmat stated.
The repatriation was “necessary” as a result of it confirmed the 2 nations’ dedication to collaborate within the battle in opposition to the illicit wildlife commerce, stated Athapol Charoenchansa, Thailand’s director-general of the Division of Nationwide Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.
He stated he hoped it will increase consciousness about wildlife conservation within the area.
Thai and Indonesian officers fed the animals bananas and dragon fruit whereas they have been being displayed inside their crates on the Bangkok airport earlier than they have been loaded onto the aircraft.
In 2016, Nobita and Shizuka have been simply months previous once they have been discovered throughout a sting operation in Bangkok by wildlife officers, who had agreed to purchase the pair on-line for $20,000.
The then-baby orangutans, named after characters from the favored Japanese cartoon Doraemon, have been put right into a basket at the back of a taxi, and photographs of them hugging one another tightly within the basket went viral on the time.
Brian, one other male orangutan, was rescued from traffickers and despatched to Thai wildlife officers in 2019.
Thailand has despatched 74 orangutans again to Indonesia since 2006 in six batches, together with the three on Thursday.
In 2020, two orangutans named Ung-Ing and Natalie have been repatriated.
The Conference on Worldwide Commerce in Endangered Species (CITES) prohibits worldwide commerce in orangutans.
They’re discovered solely within the forests of Sumatra and Borneo however their habitat is shrinking because of the progress of agricultural land use, making them extra weak to poaching.
The Worldwide Union for Conservation of Nature, the worldwide authority on the standing of the pure world, lists orangutans as critically endangered.
Orangutans are sometimes offered into the pet commerce and for show in zoos and different points of interest.
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