Baby Gorilla hidden in the Cargo of a Plane from Nigeria found at Istanbul Airport

A baby Gorilla which was hidden in the Cargo of a Plane from Nigeria was found at Istanbul Airport in Turkiye.

According to report, a baby gorilla was discovered hidden in the cargo hold of a plane arriving from Nigeria on Sunday December 22, 2024 at Istanbul Airport. 

The gorilla said to have been taken from its natural habitat and falling into the hands of smugglers, has been rescued and placed under protection. 

A rescue operation was conducted by the Customs Enforcement Smuggling and Intelligence Directorate teams. Suspicion arose regarding a flight from Nigeria to Bangkok, Thailand. Upon inspection of the cargo, sounds coming from a box caught the attention of the officers.

During the investigation, it was discovered that the cage-like box contained a "gorilla gorilla," a critically endangered species listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The gorilla, nervously observing its surroundings, was handed over to the relevant units of the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry shared new images of the baby gorilla on social media with the caption: "The little one's condition is currently good..."

In a written statement, the ministry noted that the baby gorilla, undergoing rehabilitation and care by National Parks personnel, is showing signs of recovery and will remain under observation.