MEDAN: The Forestry Ministry has repatriated a Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), aged about 3.5 years and illegally trafficked from Indonesia to India, through Kualanamu International Airport in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, on Monday.
Named Heera, the male orangutan is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the Sumatran Rescue Alliance (SRA) in Bukit Mas district, Langkat regency.
Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said the repatriation of the trafficked orangutan was not only about returning an individual orangutan home but also proof of the government’s commitment to protecting animals that are traded illegally abroad.
Raja Juli emphasised that the orangutan’s repatriation reflected the importance of intergovernmental cooperation and collaboration among various stakeholders in rescuing wildlife.
The minister also expressed appreciation to the Indian government and all parties that had contributed to the orangutan’s repatriation.
“This proves that cross-country cooperation provides opportunities for wildlife that fall victim to illegal trafficking to receive treatment and a better life,” he said during the orangutan’s repatriation at the airport on Monday.
“Repatriating the orangutan is one thing, but our responsibility doesn’t stop here. We must ensure the repatriated orangutan undergoes the rehabilitation process properly.”
Raja Juli, who was accompanied by entertainer and animal lover Irfan Hakim, said the orangutan had been renamed from Rocky to Heera, meaning diamond.
Earlier in September, five baby orangutans were found in a forest in Balasore district, Odisha state, India. The Forestry Ministry said it was coordinating with Indian authorities to return them.
Meanwhile, the ministry’s species and genetics conservation director, Ahmad Munwair, said Heera was a victim of the illegal cross-border wildlife trade.
Indian authorities rescued Heera from an apartment in the Thane region, near Mumbai in Maharashtra state, on Nov 12, 2024. Heera was estimated to be between 18 and 20 months old when he was rescued.
After his rescue, Heera received treatment at the private wildlife rescue and conservation centre Vantara, at its Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Center (GZRRC) in Jamnagar district, Gujarat state.
Before being repatriated, Heera underwent a series of physical health checks and laboratory tests conducted by the relevant authorities together with the GZRRC medical team.
The latest test results, obtained in August, found Heera to be in good health and fit to travel. Heera was also declared free of tuberculosis (TB) and hepatitis A and B.
Munawir said the repatriation process involved Indonesia’s forestry and foreign ministries, through the Indonesian Consulate General in Mumbai, with support from the Indian government, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and the GZRRC.
The Forestry Ministry also involved Fauna Land Indonesia and the Center for Orangutan Protection (COP) in the repatriation process.
After being repatriated, Munawir said Heera would undergo rehabilitation and evaluation for up to 18 months at the SRA before being released into the wild.
“He will be released in the Mount Leuser area, where the forests are still good,” he said.
Meanwhile, COP executive director Daniek Hendarto said eight orangutans were currently undergoing rehabilitation at the SRA, including four that had been repatriated from Thailand at the end of 2025.
As one of the Forestry Ministry’s wildlife conservation partners, COP manages the SRA in Langkat regency.
He said the rehabilitation facility was an important part of joint efforts to ensure that trafficked orangutans were not only repatriated but also given the opportunity to recover and have a better life.
“We hope Heera’s rehabilitation process can go smoothly so he can be released into his natural habitat when the time comes,” he said.
“If his health condition, behaviour and conservation requirements are fulfilled, Heera can be prepared to return to his natural habitat.” - Jakarta Post/ANN
