FedEx Express will again be flying giant pandas from China to Europe with the transportation oftwo animals to a French zoo on Sunday January 15.
The two giant pandas, Huan Huan and Yuan Zi, will be delivered to the ZooParc de Beauval, closeto Tours in western France. Their arrival will mark the first time in more than 10 years that giantpandas will reside in France. FedEx Express is providing its logistical services to transport thegiant pandas on Sunday, January 15, subject to final regulatory approval. The specialtransport follows a similar delivery in Britain in December.
Working in conjunction with the ZooParc de Beauval and the Chinese Association of ZoologicalGardens (CAZG) in China, FedEx Express will fly three-year-old female Huan Huan and three-year-oldmale panda Yuan Zi non-stop from Chengdu Airport in China to Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport inFrance aboard a specially-chartered and panda-decaled Boeing 777F flight known as the “FedEx PandaExpress”. Upon arrival in France, the pandas will be transported by FedEx Express on aspecially-decaled vehicle from the airport to ZooParc de Beauval.
“We are honoured to lend our expertise and capabilities in welcoming the arrival of the pandasto France” said Gerald P. Leary, President FedEx Express Europe, Middle East, Indian Subcontinentand Africa. “FedEx Express is uniquely qualified to make this special delivery; our recent shipmentof two giant pandas to Edinburgh, Scotland, demonstrates our trusted expertise in handling anddelivering these precious species. It is a privilege to serve as the trusted carrier of these rareanimals, and we are proud to support the preservation efforts of these beautiful and endangeredspecies. Combined with FedEx’s longstanding experience in shipments between France and Chinaand the use of our state-of-the-art aircraft, FedEx is well positioned to meet the needs suchsensitive shipments require.”
The FedEx Express logistical operation includes ground and air transportation and theprovision of two custom-built transport containers for the pandas. By deploying the Boeing 777Faircraft to transport the endangered species, FedEx Express is providing a direct flight from Chinato France ensuring the pandas the shortest flight time.
FedEx Express, ZooParc de Beauval, and the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding havecollaborated extensively to ensure all necessary precautions have been taken to provide a safe andcomfortable flight for the pandas. Animal care experts have been granted special flightprivileges to accompany the pandas onboard the aircraft. Upon arrival, the pandas will residein ZooParc de Beauval’s specially-built giant panda enclosures.
“The arrival of Huan Huan and Yuan Zi is a historic event for ZooParc de Beauval, marking theaccomplishment of a great collaboration with China and a lifelong commitment to animals and theirprotection. It has been our dream for a long time and we have been looking forward to this momentfor five years now, since the Zoo first embarked on this epic journey to bring giant pandas toFrance,” said Françoise Delord, founder and President of ZooParc de Beauval. “Our dedicatedteam has worked tirelessly to create a world-class enclosure to house our newest additions, whichwill offer visitors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view these extraordinary animals.”
Currently, conservationists estimate that only 1,600 pandas remain in the wild. Both Huan Huanand Yuan Zi are part of global giant panda conservation programs, designed to increase the pandapopulation.
In December 2011, FedEx Express transported Tian Tian, a female panda, and Yang Guang, a malepanda, to Edinburgh Zoo in the United Kingdom. In February 2010, FedEx Express transported TaiShan, a male panda born at the National Zoo in Washington D.C., U.S., and Mei Lan, a male pandaborn at Zoo Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., back to China. In 2003, FedEx Express transported two giantpandas from China to the Memphis Zoo, Tennessee, U.S. In 2000, FedEx Express transported TaiShan’s parents from China to Washington D.C.’s National Zoo.
