Young gorilla rescued from plane cargo recovers in Istanbul zoo

A baby gorilla rescued from the cargo hold of a plane is recovering at a zoo in Istanbul while wildlife officials decide if he can be returned to his natural habitat. They are also addressing the problem of illegal animal trafficking through Istanbul’s busy airports.

The five-month-old gorilla, now named Zeytin (which means Olive), was found in a box on a Turkish Airlines flight from Nigeria to Thailand last month. He is being cared for at Polonezkoy Zoo, where he is recovering from his difficult journey.

Fahrettin Ulu, the director of Istanbul Nature Conservation and National Parks, said on Sunday, “We hope the baby gorilla can return to his homeland. What matters most is ensuring a safe place for him to live.”

Since being rescued, Zeytin has been gaining weight and becoming more active.

“When he first arrived, he was very shy and stayed where we left him,” said veterinarian Gulfem Esmen. “Now, he’s more confident and even ignores us. He enjoys playing on his own.”

Both western and eastern gorilla species, which live in the forests and mountains of central Africa, are endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Istanbul’s airports have become hotspots for stopping illegal wildlife trafficking. In October, customs officials found 17 young Nile crocodiles and 10 monitor lizards hidden in a passenger’s luggage at Sabiha Gokcen Airport.