BANGKOK, Thailand – The Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation has announced ongoing investigations in collaboration with CITES, Turkish and Nigerian authorities, to trace the smuggling route of a baby gorilla discovered in a wooden crate at Istanbul Airport, Dec. 25. Thai authorities are also working with the Environmental Crime Division (ECD) police to determine if Thailand was the intended destination.
Officials from the Department of National Parks and the ECD have sought a court warrant to search a foreign animal breeding farm in Nakhon Pathom province. Importing gorillas into Thailand is prohibited under Thai law and CITES Appendix I regulations, which classify gorillas as critically endangered species. Currently, Thailand has only one gorilla, “Bua Noi,” a female housed at the Pata Zoo for nearly 30 years, brought in before the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act of 1992.
The baby gorilla, a critically endangered western lowland species, was found wearing a T-shirt and shipped from Nigeria through Turkey en route to Thailand, according to Turkish customs officials and a report by Daily Sabah. The young gorilla is now under the care of Turkey’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and is recovering well, though still under close observation.
Additionally, Thai authorities are conducting inspections of zoos and breeding facilities to ensure compliance with regulations for controlled wildlife species, including gorillas, to prevent further illegal activities. (TNA)
