Known as Zeytin or Olive, the gorilla was only five months old when it was found crammed in a box inside the cargo of a Turkish Airlines flight from Nigeria to Thailand.
Since then, it has been recovering at Istanbul’s Polonezkoy Zoo Park, where it is being kept in a “safe, isolated and sterile environment”.
According to the Directorate General of Nature Conservation and National Parks, the gorilla has gained weight and formed a bond with its caretakers.
Following this, authorities have initiated the process of sending Zeytin back to Nigeria.
However, they need to ensure he will not again become a part of the black market and will be placed in a gorilla-only environment with suitable climate conditions.
Both western and eastern gorillas, found in central Africa’s remote forests and mountains, are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s endangered list.
As Istanbul grows as a major international air travel hub, customs officials have detected an increasing number of animals being trafficked.
