Two monkeys confiscated at border gate placed under protection
ŞANLIURFA
Two baby macaque monkeys, seized at the Habur border gate in the southeastern province of Şırnak while being smuggled into the country, are receiving meticulous care at a center in Şanlıurfa.
The two-month-old monkeys were found hidden in a specially designed compartment inside a vehicle during a routine customs inspection, with the vehicle’s driver being imposed a fine of 60,187 Turkish Liras for attempting to smuggle the animals.
Following the discovery, the monkeys were transferred to a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center in Şanlıurfa, where they underwent health checks and were placed under care.
Mehmet Cezayiroğlu, regional director of Nature Conservation and National Parks, stated that veterinarians are closely monitoring the condition of the rescued monkeys, feeding them with bananas, apples and pears.
Once their treatment is complete, the monkeys will be relocated to a zoo in Gaziantep, Cezayiroğlu explained, emphasizing that animal species that are illegal to maintain should not be removed from their native habitats in the first place.
