türkçe links to original Turkish article
(Haberler.com website, 24 October 2026)
"The strange one"
A 3-month-old male macaque, which had been brought into
Turkey illegally and subsequently seized in Afyonkarahisar,
has recovered following treatment at the Gaziantep Wildlife
Center. The young macaque, named 'Garip' (meaning 'the
strange one') (!), has become the center's mascot; he will be
kept under supervised conditions for 1.5 to 2 months
to ensure he integrates well with other young macaques.
During inspections conducted by Nature Conservation and
National Parks teams in Afyonkarahisar, a baby macaque was
discovered in the possession of an individual; the animal was
taken into protective custody and brought to the Gaziantep
Wildlife Center.
Upon arrival at the center, it was determined that the infant
macaque was struggling to feed and had concerning blood test
results, leading to its admission to the animal hospital for
treatment.
Veterinarians performed blood tests and ultrasound exams,
and the macaque was kept in intensive care for a period.
During this time, it received intravenous fluids, vitamins, and
minerals; the infant responded positively to the treatment and
began to feed once again.
"Garip" adjusting well to his mascot role.
Named "Garip" (meaning "strange" or "peculiar") by its caretakers,
the young macaque was moved to a separate enclosure—where
it can see other young macaques but cannot make physical
contact—once its health returned to normal.
As the youngest macaque at the center, Garip will remain under
observation for some time to ensure it can adapt to the other young
macaques; plans are in place to integrate it into the group within
1.5 to 2 months.
Celal Özsöyler, Head of the Wildlife Conservation and Veterinary
Services Department for the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality,
told an Anadolu Agency (AA) reporter that the infant underwent a
comprehensive health check upon its arrival at the center.
"We kept it (him!) in intensive care for a while"




















