The five-month-old gorilla, who was discovered in the cargo hold of a Turkish Airlines plane last month, is recovering at an Istanbul zoo while officials decide where he should live next.
It was the junior master Found in a box On a flight from Nigeria to Thailand that passed through Istanbul, the Associated Press reported. His name was Zeitin, or olive, in A General competition.
For now, it remains in the care of Istanbul’s Polonezkoy Zoo, and wildlife officials say it could be returned to its natural habitat.
“Of course, what we want and desire is for the little gorilla to do that Continuing her life in her homelandFahrettin Ulu, Istanbul’s regional director of nature conservation and national parks, told the AP on Sunday.
“What is important is to create a completely safe environment where you go, which is very important to us.”
One of Zeitin’s veterinarians is optimistic about his recovery at the zoo and said he has been showing improvement since his arrival after the traumatic ordeal.
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“When he first came, he was very shy and would stay where we left him,” veterinarian Gulfem Ismin said. “He doesn’t have that shyness now. He doesn’t even pay much attention to us. He plays games himself.”
According to Metro UK, it was a gorilla Found inside a small wooden box By customs officials at the Turkish Trade Ministry, who tracked the shipment as part of wildlife protection efforts.
An endangered baby gorilla, found by Turkish authorities at Istanbul airport, is shown in a box on December 22, 2024.
Turkish Ministry of Trade/Bulletin/Anadolu via Getty Images
He was found wearing a white T-shirt and was taken into the care of the country’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
A ministry spokesman said: “The little boy is in good health. It was confiscated during customs inspections while being transported illegally without proper documentation.
A baby gorilla, found by Turkish authorities at Istanbul airport, plays with toys in Istanbul, Türkiye on January 12, 2025.
Mehmet Murat Önel/Anadolu via Getty Images
“Employees of the General Administration for Nature Conservation and National Parks provide the necessary rehabilitation and care.”
They added, “The gorillas are still under close monitoring to ensure their recovery.”
Zeytin, a five-month-old male gorilla rescued at Istanbul airport, interacts with a keeper in a specially created section of the zoo, in Istanbul, Turkey, on January 12, 2025.
Khalil Hamra/Associated Press
“Rehabilitation experts work hard to help the gorillas regain their strength and health. Their care is aimed at providing a safe environment for the animal’s well-being.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies both species of gorillas – western and eastern gorillas, which live in the remote forests and mountains of central Africa – as threatened with extinction.
As Istanbul emerges as a major intercontinental air hub, customs officials increasingly intercept illegally trafficked animals. Last October, 17 small Nile crocodiles and 10 lizards were found in the luggage of an Egyptian traveler at the city’s Sabiha Gokcen Airport.
— With files from The Associated Press
&Copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
