FedEx couriers orphaned sea otter pup to Pittsburgh Zoo

The eco-conscious courier service, FedEx, delivered a rather special consignment to the Pittsburgh Zoo last week.

 

One special delivery to Pittsburgh, please...

An orphaned sea otter pup who had previously been rescued from the wilds of Port Heiden in Alaska was flown in by a FedEx Express MD11 aircraft on 19th April. 

“Once the ASLC and Pittsburgh Zoo staff agreed to transport the little otter to Pittsburgh, FedEx was asked to help. We are so very grateful that we were able to utilize our relationship with Pittsburgh-based FedEx Ground to secure the support of FedEx Express and their utmost to detail when transporting our precious cargo”, said Barbara Baker, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. 

FedEx Express who normally send parcels to USA and around the world, are also known for their Panda Express which helped them transport two panda pairs in the past. The pup who had originally been discovered and rescued by residents of Port Heiden and the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC), was accompanied by a marine mammal staff and a veterinarian from the Alaska SeaLife Centre.

Image c/o FedEx

 

A history of precious cargo

Bruce Clemmons, manager of the FedEx Live Animal Desk, proudly confirmed that “FedEx has a long history transporting rare and delicate cargo in cooperation with zoos and animal preserves around the world.” 

Indeed, amongst two pairs of pandas, the express courier service also transported three orphaned grizzly, polar bears, white tigers, elephants, gorillas and other types of mammals around the globe.

Source: FedEx

FedEx Express to fly Chinese Pandas to France

Image c/o FedEx Express

Today, the French ZooParc de Beauval and the logistics & express parcel company, FedEx Express, published an official statement about the upcoming loan of Chinese giant panda couple. 

FedEx Express agreed to fly three-year-old Huan Huan (female) and her male partner Yuan Zi (same age) from Chengdu Airport to Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport using their latest FedEx Panda Express. The flight is scheduled to be non-stop and will be carried out with a custom-built Boeing 777F. 

Gerald P. Leary, President of FedEx Express, Europe, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa, said that FedEx was “honoured to lend [its] expertise and capabilities in welcoming the arrival of the pandas to France.” 

According to the express parcel provider, the Boing 777F is highly fuel-efficient. The plane has also been described as the world’s largest twin-engine cargo aircraft. After the latest Panda arrival in Edinburgh Zoo back in January 2011, the Panda Express is going to fly out once again.

"With the arrival of the giant pandas, ZooParc de Beauval has further cemented its role in the future conservation of one of the world's most endangered species. This is the beginning of a fruitful, long-term partnership and cooperation which will drive research and conservation programs between Beauval and the Chengdu panda base," confirmed Rodolphe Delord, Chief Executive ZooParc de Beauval.

The public is going to be excluded from the departure and arrival of the FedEx Panda Express due to reasons of security. 

**Transglobal Express offers a variety of highly discounted FedEx express parcel services to a variety of international destinations. 

Source: FedEx Express

FedEx flies Chinese pandas to Edinburgh

• 4th Dec 2011: The FedEx Panda Express arrived safely at Edinburgh Airport
• Sweetie and Sunshine to stay at Edinburgh Zoo for next 10 years

Giant Panda Yang Guang (Sunshine) enjoys his meal of bamboo shoots before his journey to Edinburgh Zoo Photo: AFP/GETTY, Source: The Telegraph

Thanks to FedEx Express, a subsidiary of the world’s largest express transportation company, Tian Tian (“Sweetie”) and Yang Guang (“Sunshine”) safely touched down at Edinburgh Airport in Scotland yesterday afternoon. The eight-year-old Chinese panda couple left the Boeing 777F, also known as “FedEx Panda Express”, at approximately 1pm before heading to their new home at Edinburgh Zoo.

According to FedEx Express, the on-board dinner consisted of a mix bamboo, apples, carrots and a special panda cake. The panda couple was under constant surveillance of two animal handlers and an Edinburgh Zoo veterinarian. A custom-built enclosure by FedEx ensure the safety of the two throughout the 12-hour flight.

Captain Paul Cassell said that he was “delighted to confirm that the FedEx Panda Express has safely touched down at Edinburgh International Airport. (…) It was an absolute privilege and honor to fly Tian Tian and Yang Guang, and to be part of this significant moment to bring the pandas to their new home in the UK. Although every flight is unique, this flight has been particularly special—carrying such rare animals made the journey very exciting for all of us.” 

Tian Tian and Yang Guang were relocated to Edinburgh Zoo where they will spend the next 10 years of their lives. According to the Telegraph, “Edinburgh Zoo will pay £1 million a year for the privilege of housing the pair, money which it hopes to recoup by attracting visitors from across the UK.”

**Transglobal Express offers a range of FedEx worldwide express parcel delivery services which are particularly recommended for shipments going to the Far East, South America and USA. 

Source: FedEx Express / The Telegraph