United States (English)

FedEx Transports Three Lionesses from Panama to Wildlife Sanctuary in U.S.

lion-rescue-newsroom.jpg


MEMPHIS, Tenn., Sept. 28. 2011—Each of the more than three million daily shipments delivered by FedEx Express (a subsidiary of FedEx Corp, NYSE: FDX) is special—but one scheduled for today is truly life-saving for three sisters traveling to a new home in the United States.

The three lionesses are 15-year-old sisters and FedEx Express will donate the transportation from Panama to the Wild Animal Sanctuary near Denver, Colo. The move will enable the aging lionesses to receive improved care and living conditions at the Wild Animal Sanctuary, which is the oldest and largest non-profit sanctuary in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to rescuing captive and endangered large carnivores.

The lionesses, which have lived in Feria de la Chorrera near Panama City, Panama for more than a decade, will be placed in special containers and transported to Tocumen International Airport. There, they will be loaded onto a FedEx Airbus A300 aircraft for the flight to the FedEx Express hub in Memphis, where they will be carefully transferred to another flight and proceed to their final destination and new home near Denver.

The rescue mission is a joint effort of the Panamanian National Environmental Authority (ANAM), Gamboa Animal Rescue, Wild Animal Sanctuary, several animal rights organizations and FedEx Express.

“It is a privilege to serve as the trusted carrier of these lionesses,” said Michael L. Ducker, chief operating officer, FedEx Express. “Our Express transportation network and extensive experience in shipping delicate cargo make FedEx the perfect choice for transporting these lionesses, and we are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to their rescue.”

“The 720-acre Wild Animal Sanctuary and its shelters will be an ideal habitat for the lionesses, providing them with improved living conditions,” said Lucia Chandeck, general administrator, Panamanian National Environmental Authority (ANAM). “We thank FedEx Express and all of the organizations involved for making this transfer happen.”

FedEx Express has a long history of transporting rare and delicate cargo, including: two giant pandas to Washington D.C.’s National Zoo in December 2000 (and a return trip to China in 2010), the Fenix Chilean miners rescue capsule, Tibetan artifacts, polar bears, white tigers, elephants, rhinoceros, lions, gorillas, and eagles.

About FedEx Express

FedEx Express is the world’s largest express transportation company, providing fast and reliable delivery to more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. FedEx Express uses a global air-and-ground network to speed delivery of time-sensitive shipments, by a definite time and date with a money-back guarantee.

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 $40 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 290,000 employees 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.