Last night, three giant pandas, including 25-year-old Mei Xiang,26-year-old Tian Tian, and their three-year-old cub, Xiao Qi Ji,arrived in Chengdu, China on a FedEx Express charter flight fromWashington, D.C. Working with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo andConservation Biology Institute, the giant pandas began theirjourney on November 8 and traveled via a FedEx Express Boeing 777F,dubbed the “FedEx Panda Express”.
FedEx has long worked with the Chinese authorities and zoosaround the world to safely ship giant pandas to and from China.FedEx is proud to donate the cost of transporting the pandas aspart of its ongoing corporate social responsibility andenvironmental conservation efforts.
On their journey to China, the pandas were accompanied by animalcare experts from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and ConservationBiology Institute and traveled in custom-built transport enclosuresprovided by FedEx. The pandas were the only cargo on thetrans-Pacific flight from Washington’s Dulles International Airportto China’s Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, aside fromsupplies such as bamboo, water, and their favorite treats,including sugar cane, apples, and pears.
“We are deeply honored to again serve as the transportationprovider of giant pandas. The safe delivery of Mei Xiang, TianTian, and Xiao Qi Ji is a testament to the company’s commitment andability to securely ship precious cargo,” said Richard Smith,president and chief executive officer, Airline and International,FedEx. “We are proud to be entrusted with transporting thesebeloved animals through our global integrated air and groundnetwork.”
Before their trip, the pandas spent time getting familiar withtheir crates to ensure a safe and comfortable flight. Upon arrivalin Chengdu, Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and Xiao Qi Ji were greeted onthe tarmac by their new keepers before moving to the Shenshupingfacility in Wolong, where they will for approximately 30days.
“With so many special deliveries like this successfullycompleted over the years, we see ourselves as panda transportationspecialists! Each one demonstrates the strengths and customizedcapabilities of our network in ensuring the most precious shipmentsarrive safely and securely every time. To be entrusted with such asymbol of friendship and wildlife conservation has been a greathonor for everyone involved,” Said Kawal Preet, President of AsiaPacific, Middle East, and Africa region, FedEx Express.
FedEx also provided trucking and logistical support in Washington,D.C. to safely transport the pandas from the Smithsonian’s NationalZoo to the airport. Including this move, FedEx has had theprivilege of transporting 15 different pandas on 10 separateflights over the past two decades, including transporting Mei Xiangand Tian Tian to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo from China in 2000and their cubs from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo to China,including
