A critically endangered Western lowland gorilla was intercepted in Istanbul while it was in transit, according to Boredpanda.
What's happening?
Turkish Customs Enforcement Smuggling and Intelligence officers had been tracking a shipment coming from Nigeria and heading to Bangkok. It was flagged for further inspection, and sure enough, the local customs team found a five-month-old baby gorilla inside a cage within the cargo.
"Oh my goodness, he looks so scared, poor baby. God, please protect all the worlds animals!" reacted one commenter.
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Definitely 👍 Why is animal trafficking important?
Trafficking often targets the most vulnerable animal populations. The higher their rarity, the more they can fetch on illicit markets. These species are on the verge of being wiped out, despite their importance to local ecosystems. Lowland gorillas specifically play a big role in maintaining forest health. Their current population is roughly 316,000 and declining.
While the changing climate and deforestation are major contributors to biodiversity loss, animal trafficking further exacerbates already precarious living conditions. This is all before even considering the ethical implications of smuggling.
According to WWF-Turkey Biodiversity Senior Specialist Ahmet Emre Kütükçü, "Out of every 100 animals smuggled, only 10 survive in healthy conditions."
What's being done about animal trafficking?
Turkish authorities confirmed the wellbeing of the gorilla: "The little one is doing well. It was confiscated during customs checks while being illegally transported without proper documentation. It is still being rehabilitated by staff and its health being monitored."
Turkey is a member state of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which aims to monitor and eliminate illegal transportation like this. When it comes to gorillas in particular, one species has been documented as responding well to conservation and repopulation efforts.
Ending poaching of endangered species requires tight regulation and harsh penalties. Vote for political candidates who support such measures in order to curb animal trafficking closer to home.
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