Indian Customs officials arrested a passenger at Mumbai airport after finding two endangered Silvery Gibbons inside a checked bag. These primates, which are native to Indonesia’s rainforests, are critically endangered. One of the gibbons was alive and rescued, while the other was tragically found dead.
Authorities say the suspect flew from Malaysia via Thailand and was involved in an international wildlife trafficking group. Customs officers acted on specific intelligence and found the animals concealed in a basket in the passenger’s trolley bag.
Wildlife trade experts warn that trafficking for the exotic pet market is on the rise. Over the past three and a half years, more than 7,000 wild animals have been seized along the Thailand-India air route. The Silvery Gibbon population is threatened by habitat loss, illegal hunting, and the pet trade, with only about 2,500 to 4,000 left.
Recent incidents at Mumbai airport have included smugglers caught with snakes, tortoises, raccoons, venomous vipers, lizards, sunbirds, possums, and even other rare ape species. Wildlife protection agencies continue to face challenges stopping animal smuggling in the region.
