DHL Global Forwarding has continued its
commitment to supporting wildlife by assisting a conservation organization with
the rescue five lions and one tiger from captivity. On behalf of Warriors of
Wildlife, the wild cats, all born in Ukraine, were relocated safely to South
Africa.
Following this transport, the non-profit
organization has rescued a total of 28 wild cats and other animals from
Ukraine. In the past, DHL Global Forwarding has also helped relocate several
brown bears, pandas, and most recently, “the world’s loneliest elephant,”
Kaavan.
“To make the journey as pleasant as
possible for our special guests, profound expertise and a well-coordinated team
are key. Our ‘Lions and Falcons of DHL’, as I like to call our staff, brought
the animals safely back to their wild home base. In the sanctuary of Warriors
of Wildlife, they are finally back where they belong – two of them have South
African parents.
The lions Hercules, Cher, Khaya, Ilana, another
male lion that was named Arslan by our Turkish Airfreight team, as well as the
tiger Kisa, travelled with us for 72 hours. Not an easy job, but one we
accepted wholeheartedly,” says Amadou Diallo, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding MEA.
The wild cats were kept in a private zoo in
Chernivtsi and a zoo in Nikolaev in the south of Ukraine.
DHL brought them to a sanctuary run by the
head of the wildlife organization Lionel de Lange. The Simbonga Game Farm &
Sanctuary is located near Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), Eastern Cape, South
Africa. Throughout the whole journey the animals were monitored by veterinarian
specialists. In Ukraine, the DHL team had the support of a Ukrainian vet until
departure.
Together with the director of Warriors for
Wildlife and another veterinarian they boarded then their flight from Boryspil
International Airport to O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. The
last leg of their journey the cats travelled via road before they were finally
welcomed to their new home.
“Transporting wild cats is always a great
challenge and requires the trust and cooperation of all parties involved. With
DHL as an experienced animal logistics partner, we were able to manage this
complex coordination effort with ease and bring the animals safely back to
their home.
Now, the lions and the tigress are in the
very best environment with the proper care they need,” says Lionel de Lange,
Director Warriors of Wildlife and Simbonga Game Farm & Sanctuary.
Warriors of Wildlife is a non-profit
organization dedicated to the rescue, relocation and future care of abused and
neglected wildlife in captivity. The organization was founded in 2016 by Lionel
de Lange and his wife Anya Masyach and operates from Ukraine and South Africa.