American Airlines Cargo moves last tiger from eco park in Argentina

Carrier facilitates relocation of Lucy, a 16-year-old Bengal tiger, to Wildcat Sanctuary in Sandstone, Minnesota, USA.

American Airlines Cargo moves last tiger from eco park in Argentina
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With help from American Airlines Cargo, Lucy, a 16-year-old Bengal tiger, has been relocated from an Eco Park in Mendoza, Argentina to The Wildcat Sanctuary in Sandstone, Minnesota, USA.

The move is a result of the former Mendoza Zoo's transition into an Eco Park, which has involved gradually relocating its animal residents to sanctuaries where they can begin new lives with their peers, according to an official release from American Airlines Cargo.

"Lucy’s journey began with a truck ride covering approximately 750 miles from Mendoza to Ezeiza Airport in Buenos Aires. The transportation process was carefully coordinated with Intermodal, the forwarder designated by the Mendoza Ministry of Energy and Environment and American Airlines Cargo. The carrier ensured seamless communication between the teams at Ezeiza Airport and at the receiving station at John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) in New York, ensuring a safe trip for Lucy."

On arrival in Ezeiza Airport, Lucy was flown on an American Airlines B787-8 for an 11-hour flight to JFK. Sanctuary staff, including a veterinarian, met her there ready for the final 1,200-mile onward drive to The Wildcat Sanctuary, the release added.

Lucy’s journey marks the second animal that American Airlines Cargo has helped rescue from Mendoza. In 2019, Sandra, a 33-year-old orangutan, was moved to a sanctuary in Florida after being granted human rights necessary to make the journey.

“It was an honour for American to provide our services to aid in Sandra’s relocation back in 2019, and we are just as proud to have been able to play our part in the re-homing of Lucy to a more suitable environment," says Indy Bolina, Head of Global Sales, American Airlines Cargo. "Our teams worked in tandem with staff from the sanctuary team to make sure everything ran like clockwork, and we look forward to following Lucy’s story."


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