When the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago needed to temporarily relocate more than 10 tons of marine mammals for a major restoration project, FedEx provided resources and expertise to safely transport the animals from Chicago to Connecticut and back.
Shedd’s seven beluga whales and four Pacific white sided dolphins enjoyed a nearly nine-month “vacation” to the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration near Hartford, Conn. While they were gone, their home in the Oceanarium wing of the Shedd Aquarium underwent a $50 million renovation.
On May 23, the Shedd Aquarium will reopen the Oceanarium to the public with homecoming festivities and a weekend-long celebration.
The special charter flights FedEx Express provided for the Shedd Aquarium illustrate how FedEx leverages its global network and philanthropic resources to positively impact communities around the world.
In addition to the whales and dolphins, FedEx recently transported two sea lions from Tacoma, Wash., to Chicago, where they will be welcomed during the Oceanarium reopening as the newest members of the Shedd Aquarium family.
“FedEx strives to make a positive difference in the communities we serve, whether in Chicago or across the globe,” said William J. Logue, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of FedEx Express. “We at FedEx are happy to put our logistics expertise to work and make this special delivery for the Shedd Aquarium.”
“We are very grateful to FedEx for their support and care of transporting our animals,” said Ted A. Beattie, Shedd Aquarium President/CEO.