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A five-month-old child gorilladiscovered in the cargo hold of a Turkish Airlines flight last month, is recovering in an Istanbul zoo while officials decide where he should live next.
The little primate was found in a box on a flight from Nigeria to Thailand that traveled through Istanbul, The Associated Press reports. He was called Zeytin, or Olive, in a public competition.
For now, he remains under the care of Polonezkoy Zoo in Istanbul, and wildlife say he could be returned to his natural habitat.
“Obviously, what we want and wish for is for the baby gorilla… continue his life in his homeland“, Fahrettin Ulu, regional director of Istanbul Nature Conservation and National Parks, told AP on Sunday.
“What is important is that an absolutely safe environment is established in the place it is going to, which is extremely important to us.”
One veterinarian overseeing Zeytin is optimistic about his recovery at the zoo and said he is showing improvement since arriving after the traumatic ordeal.
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“When he first came, he was very shy, he would stay where we left him,” said veterinarian Gulfem Esmen. “He doesn’t have that shyness now. He doesn’t even care much about us. He even plays games.”
According to Metro UK, the gorilla was found in a small wooden crate by custom officials from Turkey’s Ministry of Trade, which tracked the shipment as part of its wildlife protection efforts.
An endangered baby gorilla, found by Turkish authorities at Istanbul Airport, is seen in a box on December 22, 2024.
Turkish Ministry of Trade / Handout / Anadolu via Getty Images
He was found wearing a white T-shirt, and was transferred to the care of the country’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
A spokesman for the ministry said: “The little one is doing well. It was seized at customs checks while being transported illegally without proper documentation.
A baby gorilla, found by Turkish authorities at Istanbul Airport, plays with toys in Istanbul, Turkey on January 12, 2025.
Mehmet Murat Onel/Anadolu via Getty Images
“The staff of the General Directorate of Nature Protection and National Parks provides rehabilitation and necessary care.”
“The gorilla remains under close observation to ensure its recovery,” she added.
Zeytin, a five-month-old male gorilla who was rescued at Istanbul Airport, reacts with a keeper in a specially created section of a zoo, in Istanbul, Turkey, on January 12, 2025.
Khalil Hamra/Associated Press
“Rehabilitation experts work diligently to help the gorilla regain strength and health. Their care aims to provide a safe environment for the animal’s well-being.”
Both gorilla species – the western and eastern gorillas, which inhabit the remote forests and mountains of Central Africa – are classified as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
As Istanbul emerges as a major air hub between continents, customs officials have increasingly intercepted illegally traded animals. Last October, 17 young Nile crocodiles and 10 monitor lizards were found in the luggage of an Egyptian passenger at the city’s Sabiha Gokcen Airport.
– With files from The Associated Press
& copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
