Reindeer take to the skies for zoo exchange programme

AirBridgeCargo has transported four reindeer from Moscow to Frankfurt as part of an animal exchange programme.

The four two-year-old animals weighed around 150 kgs each and were transported in separate dedicated cages.

The transportation was completed in partnership with Astra Brokers on behalf Moscow Zoo and Wuppertal Zoo in Germany.

Peter Novozhenov, regional director, Russia and CIS, said: “We have transported deer previously, which has its special aspects the carrier needs to be aware of.

“The whole journey, which has been organized under IATA Live Animal Regulations and customer’s requirements, went smoothly and the animals feel safe and comfortable right now.

“In 2020 we favoured a significant increase in animals’ transportation meeting the growing demand from the customers and we will keep on sharpening our expertise in this sector to guarantee high-quality service.”

The airline said that it had noticed an increase in animal transport demand during the pandemic to keep the agricultural programmes going, to support zoo exchange programmes and for equine sports events.