A smuggled baby gorilla, wearing a T-shirt and crammed inside a small wooden crate at the Istanbul Airport in Turkey has been rescued. The endangered animal was shipped from Nigeria and was bound for Bangkok, Thailand via Istanbul. Officers from Turkey’s Customs Enforcement Smuggling and Intelligence Directorate had been tracking the shipment. After the cargo arrived in Turkey, it was flagged for further inspection as part of their risk analysis efforts to protect wildlife and natural habitats.
“The animal is classified as ‘gorilla gorilla,’ (Western lowland gorilla) a species listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES),” the ministry was quoted as saying by Turkiye Today.
Footage going viral on social media showed the baby gorilla looking tensed but two officers gently took care of him by feeding it milk through a baby bottle.
Ufaklığın durumu şu an iyi…
📍İstanbul Havalimanı’nda Ticaret Bakanlığı Gümrük Muhafaza ekiplerinin yaptığı kontrolde evrakları olmadan ülkemizden transit geçirilmeye çalışılan goril yavrusuna el konulmuştur.@milliparklar personelimiz tarafından rehabilitasyon ve bakımları… pic.twitter.com/D36eSRVJuy
— T.C. Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığı (@TCTarim) December 22, 2024
Social media users reacting to the video said they felt sorry for the gorilla who had been separated from his mother at such a tender age.
“Look at how he sits. His gaze is literally showing the trauma he went through. I hope he continues his life in our country under good conditions,” said one user, while another added: “Good job guys and please punish those responsible for trafficking the baby gorilla.”
A third added: “I can’t help but feel sorry for the little one. He looks sad.”
Viral Video: Baby Gorilla Takes A Tumble After First Chest Pound
Baby gorilla shifted
After the rescue, officials transferred the baby gorilla to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s care units.
“The little one is doing well. It was confiscated during customs checks while being illegally transported without proper documentation,” the officials confirmed.
“The General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks personnel are providing rehabilitation and necessary care. The gorilla remains under close observation to ensure its recovery,” they added.
As per the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the international trade of endangered species is not allowed, except in certain exceptional circumstances, such as scientific research.
Notably, the western gorilla is mostly found in the tropical rainforests of central Africa, including countries like Cameroon, Gabon, the Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic. The species is in the endangered category owing to habitat loss and population decline due to diseases and excess poaching.
