Source: Animal News Agency
Cargolux has offered to fly for free two rescue bears to the UK where they will live in an animal sanctuary on England's south coast.
The two bears will be flown by the Luxembourg Boeing 747 freighter operator from Azerbaijan to the UK where they will then be transported to their new home at the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary on the Isle of Wight.
The flight is due to take place on 2 June, pending final paperwork approvals.
The sanctuary had faced an uphill battle to find a safe and humane way to transport the animals - Benji and Balu - across nearly 3,000 miles.
Road, rail or sea posed too many risks and would prolong the bears’ suffering, while securing a flight for two bears was proving to be prohibitively expensive.
The flight is expected to take between five and six hours and will be monitored by a team of vets who will accompany the animals throughout their journey.
On arrival, the bears will be driven through the UK and ferried across the Solent to the Isle of Wight.
Lawrence Bates, chief executive of the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary, said: “There is no doubt that without Cargolux, this project may never have come to fruition.
"This was one of the biggest single expenses in the whole operation and we cannot express our gratitude enough."
Cargolux president and chief executive Richard Forson added: "Our team’s expertise in transporting live animals uniquely positions us to support the relocation of Benji and Balu, and we look forward to seeing them flourish in their new home.”
The pair were previously kept in concrete enclosures outside a restaurant with no hibernation space or proper diet.
