A young gorilla rescued from a plane's cargo hold is recovering at an Istanbul zoo, officials said Sunday, while wildlife officials are considering returning it to its natural habitat. Announced.
The five-month-old gorilla was found in a box on a Turkish Airlines flight from Nigeria to Thailand last month. After a public competition, he was named Zeytin, or Olive, and is recuperating at the Poronetskoy Zoo.
“Of course, what we want and want is for the baby gorilla to continue living in its homeland,” Istanbul Nature Conservation National Park regional director Fallettin Ulu said on Sunday.
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“What's important is that an absolutely safe environment is established at the location. This is very important to us.”
Zeytin, a 5-month-old baby male gorilla rescued at Istanbul Airport, drinks milk in a specially created section of a zoo on Sunday, January 12, 2025 in Istanbul, Turkey. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
In the weeks since he was found, Zeytin has gained weight and is showing signs of recovery from his traumatic journey.
“When he first came, he was very shy and stayed where we left him,” said veterinarian Gülfem Esmen. “He's not that shy now. He doesn't really care about us. He plays the game by himself.”
Both the western and eastern gorillas, which live in the remote forests and mountains of central Africa, are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
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As Istanbul emerges as a major intercontinental aviation hub, customs authorities have increased their raids on illegally traded animals. In 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.
