A young gorilla that was rescued by Turkish officials is recovering at a zoo in Istanbul, after authorities found it in the cargo area of a Turkish Airlines aircraft last month.

The five-month-old gorilla was located in a crate on a flight from Nigeria, headed for Bangkok, Thailand. It was found in Istanbul on December 21 and was subsequently transferred to local wildlife conservation officials.

Turkish Airlines has yet to respond to a request for comment from YSL News through its external public relations agency.

“Certainly, our hope is for the baby gorilla to thrive in its native habitat,” stated Fahrettin Ulu, regional director of Istanbul Nature Conservation and National Parks, in an interview with the Associated Press. “What’s crucial is that a safe and secure environment is created wherever it goes, which is extremely important to us.”

According to the Associated Press, the gorilla has been named Zeytin, and officials report that it is exhibiting positive signs of recovery at the Polonezkoy Zoo.

“When he first arrived, he was quite timid and would stay in one spot,” remarked veterinarian Gulfem Esmen to the Associated Press. “Now, he has shed that shyness. He doesn’t pay much attention to us anymore and enjoys playing by himself.”

Contributing: Reuters

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for YSL News based in New York.