Orangutans Repatriated to Indonesia

SAMUT PRAKAN, Dec 17 (TNA) – The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation sent two orangutans back to Indonesia to celebrate the 70^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Indonesia. 

The female Sumatran orangutans aged 4 had been seized from wildlife traffickers and their case had been finalized. 

Dicky Komar, acting charge d’affaires of the Indonesian embassy in Bangkok, received the animals at a cargo warehouse of Thai Airways International at Suvarnabhumi airport. 

Prakit Wongsriwatanakul, deputy director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, said it was the 5^th repatriation of orangutans since 2006. 

The Thai government was pleased to deliver orangutans to the Indonesian government in accordance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The return of orangutans also developed international cooperation against wildlife trafficking and for the conservation of endangered wildlife, he said. 

The two orangutans were the 70^th and 71^st orangutans that Thailand repatriated to the country of their origin and the repatriation was considered as a celebration for the 70^th anniversary of Thai-Indonesian diplomatic ties, Mr Prakit said. (TNA)