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Selasa, 08 Desember 2020 07:08:00

Wildlife on board: DHL safely relocates "the world's loneliest elephant"

The carefully planned temperature-controlled multimodal journey of Kaavan started from Islamabad and ended in a sanctuary in Cambodia
The logistics leader worked with global animal welfare organization FOUR PAWS and veterinary specialists to ensure a safe and comfortable ride for the elephant
First-ever adult elephant that was flown out of Pakistan is now safe and sound in his new home

SINGAPORE, -  7 December 2020 - Kaavan, a 36-year old Asian elephant, is settling in his new home in Cambodia after his flight from Islamabad, Pakistan. 

The "long-haul" flight took months of careful and extensive planning by FOUR PAWS, a global animal welfare organization, veterinary specialists and DHL Global Forwarding. The international freight specialist arm of Deutsche Post DHL Group took care of the logistics, including securing the necessary customs authorization, for the transportation of Kaavan from his previous home at the Marghazar Zoo.

Kaavan boarded the plane on 30 November in a customized crate for his long-awaited journey, planned by DHL Global Forwarding and FOUR PAWS.
 
DHL Global Forwarding took care of the logistics, including securing the necessary customs authorization, for the relocation of Kaavan to his new home at Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary.

Weighing over four tons and at more than three meters in height, Kaavan boarded the plane on 30 November after a medical check for his long-awaited journey to his new home at Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary. The Asian elephant had taken a truck ride, from the zoo to the Islamabad International Airport. A customized crate, in full compliance with the International Air Transport Association's regulations, was specially built for the trips.

"Shipping live animals is especially complex as each animal has its unique requirements and Kaavan, who belongs to the largest land mammal species on the Asian continent, is the first adult elephant to board an airplane in Pakistan. We had to make special arrangements for him and are delighted to have been able to leverage our logistics know-how and global network of temperature controlled facilities, in addition to FOUR PAWS' animal expertise, to safely bring Kaavan to his new home in Cambodia," said Kelvin Leung, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific.

Kaavan, also known as the world's loneliest elephant, received global attention for his living conditions in the Marghazar Zoo. To prepare for the journey, the elephant received special training for several weeks to securely enter his crate. Kaavan was accompanied by a team of wildlife veterinarians who watched over him and kept him calm.

"The highly-anticipated voyage is the result of months of planning and coordination with DHL and various animal specialists, such as the team from EKIPA, with the support of local Pakistan officials, American businessman Eric S. Margolis and Cher's non-governmental organization Free The Wild. Kaavan has been relocated to provide him with a species-appropriate environment and for the care that they require, and every possible effort has been made to ensure that the trip, which is his  passageway to a better life, was safe and comfortable for him," said Dr. Amir Khalil,  FOUR PAWS veterinarian and leader of the rescue mission.

In 2018, DHL successfully helped four grown endangered Ussuri brown bears travel across continents from Japan to England, and sent two giant pandas on a climate-neutral journey from China to Finland.

Note to editors:
Even the most seasoned of travelers would be prone to feeling cranky after spending 20 hours on a 9,000km trip. But four Ussuri bears were little fazed by such an experience when they made the journey from Japan to England in August 2018. Read about the first-class experience of the four grown brown bears who successfully traveled across continents to their new home.

DHL - The logistics company for the world
DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management.

With about 380,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as "The logistics company for the world".

DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 63 billion euros in 2019. With sustainable business practices and a commitment to society and the environment, the Group makes a positive contribution to the world. Deutsche Post DHL Group aims to achieve zero-emissions logistics by 2050.  (*).