The baby gorilla caught at Istanbul Airport and undergoing rehabilitation has been named “Zeytin,” which means “Olive” in English, after a social media campaign launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
The gorilla, found in a cage-type box on a flight from Nigeria to Bangkok on Dec. 22, is currently undergoing rehabilitation at a zoo in Polonezköy, Istanbul.
The critically endangered western gorilla species is being kept under surveillance in a glass-walled room at the zoo.
Only caregivers who disinfect their clothing and wear masks are allowed to enter the room.
The baby gorilla, once shy and sad upon capture, now spends its days actively playing with a blanket, plush toys and an abacus. It has earned the sympathy of visitors with its playful actions involving its blanket and toys.
Fahrettin Ulu, regional director of the Nature Conservation and National Parks’s (DKMP) first region, stated that protecting and developing wildlife is one of their primary responsibilities.
Ulu shared that in 2024, they received nearly 10,000 reports of injured animals in Istanbul, and they have successfully rehabilitated and released animals such as deer, roe deer, foxes, vultures and eagles back into the wild.
The gorilla was discovered being illegally smuggled onto a flight without any registration. Ulu noted: “The current gorilla was found in very unhealthy conditions, in a small box and was severely mistreated. There has never been a gorilla in Türkiye before; this is the first time we have encountered one. Therefore, it is being specially protected. A special environment has been created in a licensed zoo approved by our ministry for its rehabilitation process, which is being carefully managed by its caretaker and veterinarian.”
Ulu further emphasized that the baby gorilla’s once fearful and anxious gaze has now been replaced by affectionate looks, indicating a restored sense of security.
The baby gorilla has adapted to its new home. “When it first arrived, it weighed 9.4 kilograms (20.7 pounds) but now weighs 10.4 kilograms. Its height has increased from 62 centimeters (24 inches) to 65.5 centimeters. This clearly shows how well it is being cared for,” Ulu added.
While no decision has been made about returning the gorilla to its homeland, Ulu explained: “Our desire is for it to continue its life in the rainforests of Africa, its native habitat. If a secure environment is provided, we will continue to monitor the process. We are currently in talks with international organizations, the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) secretariat and relevant countries. The public will be updated as the situation progresses.”
Ulu also mentioned that the ministry’s social media campaign to name the baby gorilla had concluded. “We received thousands of name suggestions and citizens showed great interest. We thank them for their enthusiasm. After narrowing it down to four names, ‘Zeytin’ (Olive) emerged as the most popular choice. So, we say, ‘Welcome, Zeytin, to our country!’ From now on, the baby gorilla’s name will be Zeytin,” he said.
Veterinarian Gülfem Eşmen explained that the baby gorilla spends the whole day with them and that they are very happy as its caretakers. “It’s doing well, and so are we,” she said, noting that they continue to learn more about the gorilla every day, including its dietary preferences. They have developed a feeding program that includes milk in the morning, followed by fruits, vegetables and nuts as snacks, with plenty of playtime in between.
Eşmen shared that the baby gorilla spends a lot of time with its toys. “It treats me like a mother and its other caretakers like siblings. It plays and wrestles with them. When it first arrived, it was very shy and stayed in the same spot. Now, it’s much more independent and doesn’t pay much attention to us. It plays on independently and everything is going well so far.”