ISTANBUL — A young gorilla, recently saved from the cargo area of a plane, is currently recuperating at a zoo in Istanbul, according to officials on Sunday. Wildlife authorities are also evaluating the potential of reintroducing the animal back into its natural environment.

The 5-month-old gorilla was found inside a box on a Turkish Airlines flight traveling from Nigeria to Thailand last month. Following a public naming contest, he has been given the name Zeytin, which means Olive in Turkish. He is now recovering at Polonezkoy Zoo.

Fahrettin Ulu, the regional chief of Istanbul Nature Conservation and National Parks, expressed a hopeful sentiment regarding Zeytin’s future. “Our ultimate wish is for the baby gorilla to continue its life in its homeland,” he stated on Sunday. He also emphasized the necessity of establishing a secure environment for the gorilla’s return to its habitat. “Creating an absolutely safe environment is crucial for us,” he added.

Since Zeytin’s rescue, he has been doing well and is gaining weight, indicating that he is overcoming the distress caused by his earlier ordeal. Gulfem Esmen, a veterinarian at the zoo, shared observations about Zeytin’s transformation. “At first, he was very timid and would just stay where we placed him. Now, that shyness has vanished. He mostly ignores us and entertains himself by playing,” she noted.

Both species of gorillas—the western and eastern—are regarded as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

As Istanbul grows increasingly significant as a global transportation hub, customs officials have ramped up their efforts to intercept animals that are being illegally trafficked. Recently, they seized 17 young Nile crocodiles and 10 monitor lizards located in an Egyptian passenger’s luggage at Sabiha Gokcen Airport in the city.