PITTSBURGH, April 23, 2012—An orphaned sea otter rescued from the wintery extremes of Alaska has found a new home at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, thanks in part to the unique delivery expertise and resources of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX).
The five-week-old male pup was saved by residents of Port Heiden, Alaska, who discovered him alongside his deceased mother on a frozen beach. Since he was found in March, the pup was cared for around the clock by the residents of Port Heiden and the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) until the Pittsburgh Zoo offered him a permanent home.
“Once the ASLC and the Pittsburgh Zoo staff agreed to transport the little otter to Pittsburgh, FedEx was asked to help,” said Barbara Baker, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. “We are so very grateful that we were able to utilize our relationship with Pittsburgh-based FedEx Ground to secure the support of FedEx Express and their utmost attention to detail when transporting our precious cargo.”
The pup made the journey from Anchorage to Pittsburgh in comfort on a FedEx Express MD11 aircraft, accompanied by representatives from the zoo’s marine mammal staff and a veterinarian from the Alaska SeaLife Center. After departing the FedEx Express hub in Anchorage on April 19, the otter had a brief layover in Memphis before arriving at the Pittsburgh International Airport later that evening.
During transit, the marine mammal’s well-being was carefully monitored and controlled, thanks in part to a specially-designed transport unit that ensured he remained comfortable from take-off to landing.
Far from the extraordinary, FedEx has a deep wealth of expertise and capabilities in the area of temperature-controlled shipping, covering both everyday logistics needs as well as the more unusual requirements of live animals. In addition to this most recent special delivery,
FedEx Custom Critical safely transported more than 25,000 endangered sea turtle eggs in temperature-controlled trucks from the Gulf of Mexico to the eastern coast of Florida to assist in an environmental rescue program in 2010.
“FedEx has a long history transporting rare and delicate cargo in cooperation with zoos and animal preserves around the world,” said Bruce Clemmons, manager of the FedEx Live Animal Desk. “We’re proud to have put our years of experience and delivery resources to work ensuring a safe and secure arrival for this tough young pup.”
In addition to the two sea otters currently in residence at the Pittsburgh Zoo (delivered in 2007 by FedEx Express), FedEx has shipped two pairs of pandas and three orphaned grizzly bears in the past six months alone. The company has also helped zoos around the world safely move such exotic animals as polar bears, white tigers, elephants, penguins, mountain lions, gorillas, eagles, beluga whales and more.
About FedEx Corp.
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $42 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 300,000 team members to remain “absolutely, positively” focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit news.fedex.com.
About the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
Pittsburgh Zoo &PPG Aquarium Members receive free admission for an entire year. The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is open year round. For directions, hours, tickets and group sales information, call 412 665-3640. Visit the Zoo’s website at www.pittsburghzoo.org. The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you and a better future for all living things. For more information, visit www.aza.org.