The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has stated that the endangered baby gorilla discovered yesterday (22 December) at Istanbul Airport is in good health.
A written statement by the Ministry added that the baby gorilla discovered during controls carried out at Istanbul Airport by Ministry of Commerce Customs Enforcement teams was found to have no documents and that it was therefore seized.
The statement further explained that rehabilitation and care had been provided for the baby gorilla by National Parks staff and that the health of the baby gorilla was improving as it remains under observation.
What happened?
Within the scope of risk analysis work carried out with the aim of protecting living species and natural life, Istanbul Airport Customs Enforcement Smuggling and Intelligence Directorate Teams had begun to follow a cage-type load travelling through Istanbul Airport, departing from Nigeria with Bangkok its final destination.
The examination carried out by the team revealed that the cage-type box contained a baby of the species “gorilla gorilla”, listed as endangered on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora CITES Convention Appendix-1. (TY/NHRD)
