Mumbai: A viral video from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) has shocked social media users, showing Customs officials rescuing a Silvery Gibbon from a passenger’s baggage. The small ape, found trembling inside a trolley bag, was one of two smuggled animals, the other was tragically discovered dead.
The video, which captures the moment an animal handler gently takes care of the surviving Gibbon, has sparked widespread anger and concern over the cruelty of the illegal wildlife trade.
Details On The Rescue Operation
The operation took place after Customs officials received specific intelligence about wildlife trafficking from Bangkok. Upon examining the suspect’s baggage, officers found a basket concealed within a trolley bag containing two baby Silvery Gibbons, aged two and four months. The passenger was immediately arrested under the Customs Act and the Wildlife Protection Act.
A Customs officer described the incident as “deeply distressing,” noting that the Gibbons had been crammed into a confined space for the long flight. “These are highly intelligent, social animals. Such treatment causes severe trauma and often leads to death. Sadly, one of the infants could not survive the ordeal,” the officer said.
Silvery Gibbon, Endangered Primate Species
The Silvery Gibbon, native to Indonesia’s Java island, is among the world’s most endangered primates, with fewer than 2,500 left in the wild. Known for their silver-grey fur and melodious calls, the species is monogamous and lives in tightly bonded family units. Experts say that poachers often kill adult Gibbons to capture their young for the illegal pet trade, a practice that devastates entire family groups and accelerates population decline.
Officials warned that the demand for exotic pets continues to drive such smuggling operations, often managed by organised syndicates. “Even if the end buyer provides care, these animals rarely survive outside their natural habitat,” the officer added, urging the public to reject the exotic pet culture and report wildlife trafficking.
Another Passenger Caught With Drugs
In a separate incident on the same day, Customs officials intercepted another passenger arriving from Bangkok and seized 7.97 kilograms of suspected hydroponic weed, valued at approximately Rs 8 crore in the illicit market. The narcotics were hidden inside a trolley bag, and the passenger has been arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
(with inputs from Somendra Sharma)
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