Upon arrival in Shanghai, the pandas were immediately placed in a spacious, air-conditioned vehicle for an overnight rest, during which they were under constant observation by veterinarians. In the morning, the bears set off for Madrid on board a TNT Boeing 747 Freighter. The company provided the animals with precisely defined conditions similar to their natural habitat, maintaining a temperature of just under 20°C throughout the journey, allowing direct access for veterinarians during transport, and close monitoring of the animals’ behavior (including the use of cameras). After a flight of approximately 14 hours, the plane with the bears on board landed in the Spanish capital. The pandas were transported by TNT to the Madrid Zoo, where—after a necessary acclimatization period—their official welcome will take place.
– Transporting live animals requires very complex logistical arrangements – says Jesús Fernández Morán, Technical Director of the Madrid Zoo (Parques Reunidos Group) – We were already familiar with TNT’s capabilities in terms of special services from previous cooperation, so we were confident that they would be the most suitable partner for this venture.
– Ensuring safe transport is one of TNT’s priorities. We are proud that the transport of these endangered animals was entrusted to our company. This testifies not only to the capabilities that TNT offers its customers but also to the trust that customers place in our service – adds Rafał Dziura, Sales and Marketing Director of the Polish branch of TNT Express.
Currently, giant pandas are at risk of total extinction. Only 1,600 of these animals live in the wild in China, while 140 are in various zoos. The latter is the result of a special program analyzing the breeding of these animals in captivity – to rebuild their population. Currently, pandas are found in only seven countries, and of these, only four have succeeded in breeding them in captivity (including Spain – the Madrid Zoo).