Baby gorilla rescued from traffickers gets second chance at life after three years

A baby gorilla rescued from wildlife traffickers in Nigeria has finally been moved to a forest sanctuary in the Republic of Congo. This comes three years after she was taken from her natural habitat and put up for sale. The female western lowland gorilla named Bili was only a few months old when Nigerian customs officials rescued her during an undercover operation in Lagos in August 2023. Investigators posing as buyers took two men into custody and the men were convicted of a role in the illegal sales. According to CNN, Bili was suffering from a fungal infection and poor health when she arrived at Drill Ranch, a wildlife rehabilitation centre in southern Nigeria. Primatologist Lindsay Maess, who helped care for her, said Bili was fortunate to survive, as more than 80% of trafficked gorillas reportedly die. Her rescue also came at a terrible cost. Conservationists believe members of her family were likely killed when traffickers captured her. After three years of rehabilitation, Bili began her journey to the Republic of Congo on September 21, travelling around 20 hours by road before being flown to her new home. She was transferred to the Jane Goodall Institute's Tchimpounga Nature Reserve, where she was seen climbing trees and exploring the forest. However, Bili cannot be released into the wild immediately. She must first complete a 40-day quarantine before being introduced to another young female gorilla named Mozambique. If their rehabilitation progresses well, both could eventually be transferred to the protected Lesio-Louna Reserve. Veterinarian Rebeca Atencia said Bili had adjusted well to her new surroundings. The rescue offers hope for the young gorilla, whose species remains critically endangered.