Baby gorilla found in plane hold at Istanbul airport: victim of illegal wildlife trafficking

A young gorilla was discovered aboard a Turkish Airlines flight from Nigeria to Thailand last month. He was later taken in by veterinarians.

A five-month-old gorilla, a victim of illegal wildlife trafficking, was found in the cargo hold of a plane at Istanbul Airport in Turkey. The plane, which was flying from Nigeria and was on its way to Thailand, was carrying the animal from West Africa. Turkish authorities intercepted the primate before it could complete its journey, the Associated Press.

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“Of course, what we want and desire is for the baby gorilla to continue its life in its home country,” said Fahrettin Ulu, regional director of Nature Conservation and National Parks in Istanbul, where the animal was taken in.

Named Zeytin, the young gorilla has gained weight and is showing signs of recovery after his traumatic start to the journey. “When he arrived, he was very shy, he stayed where we left him,”, said veterinarian Gulfem Esmen. “Now he is not that shy anymore. He doesn't even care much about us anymore. He plays by himself.”

Endangered species

Both species of gorillas, western and eastern, live in the remote forests and mountains of central Africa. Both are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Istanbul Airport, located at a strategic crossroads between Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa, is a major global air hub. It is not uncommon for customs officials to intercept smugglers involved in wildlife trafficking. Last October, for example, 17 young Nile crocodiles and 10 monitor lizards were discovered in the luggage of an Egyptian passenger.