21-12-2023 (JAKARTA) Thailand repatriated three smuggled orangutans back to Indonesia in a ceremony held at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. Deputy Prime Minister and Natural Resources and Environment Minister, Patcharawat Wongsuwan, presided over the event.
The repatriation ceremony was attended by Indonesia’s Ambassador to Thailand, Rachmat Budiman, Jatuporn Buruspat, the permanent secretary at the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, and Attaporn Charoenchansa, the director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation.
The three orangutans had previously been rescued from a wildlife smuggling ring. During their care at the Ratchaburi wildlife nursery under the department’s supervision, they were given names: Brian (5 years old), Nobita (7 years old), and Shisuka (7 years old). Shisuka is the only female among them.
On March 2 of this year, the Indonesian ambassador met with Attaporn to discuss the return of the orangutans. Following consultations with the committee on handling confiscated wildlife, the wildlife conservation department decided to repatriate the three primates to Indonesia.
The orangutans were flown back to Indonesia on a Garuda Indonesia Airline flight. Before their departure, the department conducted a health check-up at the request of the Indonesian embassy.
This repatriation aligns with the decisions made during the ninth meeting of the joint Indonesian-Thai committee on wildlife protection, which took place in Jakarta on July 5-6.
Thailand has repatriated a total of 71 orangutans to Indonesia since 2006, including the 14 orangutans returned between 2013 and 2017.
