Upon arrival in India, a traveler was apprehended for smuggling two endangered apes concealed in his luggage, as per customs officials at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai. The discovery, made on October 30, shocked authorities who found two silvery gibbons, believed to be around two and four months old, hidden in a basket inside the passenger’s bag. Tragically, one of the gibbons had already perished. A customs official reported that the gibbons were concealed in a basket placed within a trolley bag.
These rare primates, native to Indonesian forests, are classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Initial investigations by Indian authorities indicated that the traveler, described as a foreign national, had journeyed from Malaysia to Thailand before flying to India.
Authorities suspect that the passenger was instructed by an international smuggling network to transport the bag containing the gibbons, with the syndicate likely coordinating the travel arrangements. Efforts are now underway to identify other individuals involved in this illegal operation. Studies suggest a significant risk of the silvery gibbon, scientifically known as Hylobates moloch, facing extinction within a century according to the IUCN.
Chester Zoo reports that silvery gibbons typically remain with their families for up to eight years and have a lifespan of around 35 years, which can extend to 50 years under human care.
In a separate incident in 2022, customs officials in Munich, Germany, were alarmed to discover two whole roasted antelopes in a passenger’s luggage. The passenger, a woman from Ghana, claimed the antelopes were intended as a snack for her journey due to their delicacy in her home country. Despite her explanation, the animals were confiscated and destroyed by customs officials in compliance with animal health regulations. Thomas Meister, a spokesperson for Customs Headquarters in Munich, described the seizure as highly unusual.
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