Courier company FedEx Express has been involved in an operation to transport male sea otters from the medical care unit at the SeaLife Center in Seward, Alaska, to France. It is one of the few centers in the USA authorized to export these species globally. The final destination was the Océanopolis ocean park in Brest, France.
FedEx Express organized the free transport of the otters from Anchorage to Paris. Transported by a McDonnell Douglas MD11 aircraft, the animals had their first stop at the FedEx international hub in Memphis, and the second at Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport. The transport was carried out in close cooperation with medical care units in Alaska and the Océanopolis team.
The unique passengers landed at Brest Airport on June 15, around 9:30 PM. This final leg of the air journey, from Paris to Brest, was carried out with the participation of the Swiss company ASL Switzerland. Subsequently, the animals were transported to Océanopolis by a truck belonging to the park. They were also accompanied on the way by a FedEx vehicle carrying equipment and luggage. The otters traveled in specially designed crates. Between naps, they could snack on capelin, squid, and mussels. The truck also contained ice, which allowed for maintaining the optimal body temperature of the animals during the drive.
The otters were accompanied by Brett Long and Carrie Goertz from the Seward Alaska SeaLife Center and Gina Fisher from the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. They ensured the animals’ comfort and well-being throughout the entire journey, which covered nearly 13,000 km. Ensuring the shortest possible travel time between Seward and Océanopolis in Brest was the priority of the entire operation. It could take a maximum of 24 hours. Effective cooperation between the teams made it possible to achieve the set goal. The otters are now spending time in a specially designed 180 cubic meter pool located at Océanopolis park. The animals will be presented to the public after an acclimatization period.
Sea otters are mammals living off the coast of the northern Pacific Ocean. Until now, they could only be seen in the largest aquariums in Japan and the United States. The animals transported with the help of FedEx are young individuals that were injured or orphaned but survived. However, they cannot remain in the wild. Currently, Océanopolis in Brest is the only facility in France where animals of this species live. The Océanopolis park pools where the otters reside, as well as the technical rooms, were designed in accordance with standards applicable in the USA and are among the best in the world. The transport of the otters is part of the FedEx “Delivering for Good” initiative.