Tag Archives: DHL Air UK

Photo: DHL Air (UK) Boeing 777F G-DHLY (msn 67138) PAE (Nick Dean). Image: 956567.

DHL transports two giant pandas from Chengdu to Brussels

DHL today (February 23) sent off two giant pandas from Chengdu to Brussels, using a dedicated DHL Air (UK) (East Midlands) Boeing 767-300 freighter aircraft. Their departure marks the start of a 15-year cooperation of giant panda breeding research between China and Belgium. The female, Hao Hao, and the male, Xing Hui, both aged four, are expected to be delivered via DHL’s global transportation network to their new home at the Pairi Daiza animal sanctuary in Brugelette, Belgium on February 23.

“The Pandastic journey from China Conservation Research Center of the Giant Panda’s Dujiangyan panda base to Belgium’s Pairi Daiza will be a little over 8,000 kilometers. We are extremely proud to be entrusted with transporting China’s friendship messengers. The pandas, Hao Hao and Xing Hui, are without a doubt our VIPs — Very Important Pandas. A DHL team of specialists has worked with panda experts in China and Brussels to research and plan for their journey,” said Jerry Hsu, Chief Executive Officer of DHL Express Asia Pacific.

‘Hao Hao and Xing Hui’s Pandastic Journey’ started at the China Conservation & Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) in Chengdu, China at 11:45 am on February 22, and will end with a delivery to a specially constructed Chinese Garden at Pairi Daiza, Belgium the following day. The two giant pandas were flown from China to Belgium on a dedicated DHL B767 freighter aircraft, accompanied by a team of two animal handlers, a veterinary physician and a plentiful supply of 100 kilograms of bamboo.

The pandas are expected to spend 15 years at Pairi Daiza, a 55-acre garden that plays host to over 5 000 animals. With the support of the University of Ghent, a special breeding and research program has been designed, aimed at helping to avert the future extinction of this endangered species.

To ensure an easy and comfortable journey, DHL and China Conservation & Research Center for the Giant Panda created bespoke travelling crates spacious enough for pandas to stay comfortable throughout the journey. The cages were also designed with a special roof in the style of ancient Chinese architecture.

“The panda is China’s national treasure, and also a messenger of friendship and peace,” said Wu Dongming, Managing Director of DHL-Sinotrans and Executive Vice President of DHL Express Asia-Pacific. “We are deeply honored for having been selected to transport Hao Hao and Xing Hui. With strong transportation expertise and capabilities, we believe DHL will carry out a Pandastic Journey with the utmost care and consideration.”

DHL has supported a number of conservation projects in recent years, including the return of nine silverback gorillas from the UK to the wild in Gabon, the delivery of two rare Sumatran tigers from the Australia and the US to ZSL London Zoo for a breeding program. Last year, DHL also provided expert logistics and both ground and air transportation to relocate several endangered Florida manatees.

Copyright Photos: Karl Cornil/AirlinersGallery.com. The specially-marked Boeing 767-3JHF ER G-DHLG (msn 37807) of DHL Air (UK) arrives at Brussels with the two honored guests.

DHL Air (UK):

DHL Air takes Djala and family back to the wild

DHL Air (UK) (East Midlands) is the official air transport of the Aspinall Foundation’s “Back to the Wild” campaign to transport a western lowland gorilla family from the Port Lympne Wild Animal Park to Africa. The cargo airline has decorated this Boeing 767-300 freighter with these special markings for the special transport.

The Foundation issued this statement:

The family is headed by Djala, a 30 year old silverback (below).

As a baby Djala was rescued from Africa and flown to the safety of Port Lympne where he has become one of the largest silverbacks in captivity, weighing 200kgs and fathering a total of 15 offspring.

The family’s journey is part of The Aspinall Foundation’s Back To The Wild Campaign in conjunction with Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, and has been made possible by generous gifts from supporters of the charity, our partner DHL and the Gabonese Government.

But we still need your help to continue sending animals like Djala and his family ‘Back To The Wild’.

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Phil Couchman, CEO of DHL Air, issued this statement:

Last year we undertook a very special request to transport three critically endangered black rhino from The Aspinall Foundation’s Port Lympne Wild Animal Park to a protected reserve in Tanzania. Not something we do normally but, hey, this is DHL. So we did it.

Very soon we’ll be providing another essential service to protect a threatened cohabitant of our planet: moving a family of critically endangered western lowland gorillas from The Aspinall Foundation’s Port Lympne Wild Animal Park to Africa as part of the ongoing and ambitious conservation initiative, created by The Aspinall Foundation – Back To The Wild.

This move is extra special as the “big daddy” was orphaned in Africa 30 years ago and is finally going home – with his family.

Copyright Photo: Karl Cornil/AirlinersGallery.com. DHL Air’s Boeing 767-3JHF ER G-DHLH (msn 37806) arrives at Brussels with the special “Djala’s Journey Home-Gorillas in Transit-Aspinall Foundation” markings. The aircraft arrived from Cincinnatti and departed for Lagos, Nigeria.

DHL Air (UK):