Discovery Of Rare Silvery Gibbon In Mumbai Airport Leads To Passenger’s Arrest
The passenger travelled from Malaysia with two tiny gibbons in the trolley bag.
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On 30 October, Indian customs officer in Mumbai arrested a plane passenger travelling from Malaysia to India after they found two endangered gibbons stuffed inside a checked bag.
Based on reports, one of the tiny silvery gibbon (Javan gibbon) died while the other was still alive.
Customs said the passenger, who had travelled from Malaysia via Thailand, was given the gibbons by a wildlife trafficking syndicate to be delivered to India.
The gibbons were discovered after officers checked the passenger’s trolley bag. The gibbons were said to be concealed in a basket.
The latest seizure is one of the many arrests made at the same airport in recent months. Mumbai officers had intercepted smugglers bringing in snakes, tortoises, raccoons, lizards, sunbirds, tree-climbing possums, and more from places like Thailand.
The Javan gibbon
The silvery gibbon or Javan gibbon is native in the rainforests of Java, Indonesia. The endangered species faces habitat loss from deforestation, hunting threats, and the illegal pet trade. These primates are popular for their agility and distinctive calls, making them a favourite among exotic pet enthusiasts.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates there are about 2,500 to 4,000 of the primates left.
There’s an increasing demand for exotic pets in India and Malaysia has been identified as a key transit hub in the illegal wildlife trade, including the smuggling of the silvery gibbon.
A silvery gibbon can fetch up to RM125,640 (US$30,000) on the black market.
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