A young gorilla rescued from a plane’s cargo hold is recovering at an Istanbul zoo while wildlife officers consider returning him to his natural habitat.

Istanbul’s airports have become hotspots for stopping illegal wildlife trafficking. In October, customs officials found 17 young Nile crocodiles and 10 monitor lizards hidden in a passenger’s luggage at Sabiha Gokcen Airport.

Last month, a juvenile gorilla was found onboard a Turkish Airlines flight from Nigeria to Thailand. Officials believe the gorilla was being trafficked for the illegal wildlife trade, finding the 5-month-old ape in a box within the plane’s cargo hold at Istanbul Airport.

Baby gorilla was rescued from a smuggling attempt at Turkey airport last month.The five-month-old gorilla who is now recovering at Polonezkoy Zoo, Istanbul was found by authorities at airport in the cargo hold of Turkish Airlines

A young gorilla rescued from a plane’s cargo hold is recovering at an Istanbul zoo while wildlife officers consider returning him to his natural habitat, as well as how to cope with the illegal trade in animals passing through the city’s busy air hub.

A 5-month-old gorilla rescued from a Turkish Airlines plane's cargo hold is now recovering at a zoo in Istanbul, officials announced Sunday.