Baby gorilla was rescued from a smuggling attempt at Turkey airport last month.
The five-month-old gorilla who is now recovering at Polonezkoy Zoo, Istanbul was found by authorities at airport in the cargo hold of Turkish Airlines plane.
According to the officials, the gorilla was named Zeytin through a public competition. He was travelling last month when he was rescued while passing through Istanbul on his way to Thailand.
"Of course, what we want and desire is for the baby gorilla…to continue its life in its homeland," Fahrettin Ulu, regional director of Istanbul nature conservation and nation parks shared with the press on Sunday.
He continued the statement, noting, "What is important is that an absolutely safe environment is established in the place it goes to, which is extremely important for us."
Furthermore, the officials shared Zeytin’s recovery journey informing that he has gained weight after his traumatic experiences.
Gulfem Esmen, the veterinarian responsible for the five-month-old revealed how Zeytin has overcome his initial shyness and has started playing games by himself in front of others.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified western and eastern gorillas, which populate central Africa’s remote forests and mountains, as critically endangered since 2007 and 2016 respectively.
As Istanbul is located at the centre of several air travels, customs officials have witnessed an increase in the number of illegal trade of animals.
Earlier, in October, 17 young Nile Crocodiles and 10 monitor lizards were found in an Egyptian passenger’s luggage at the city’s Sabiha Gokcen Airport.
