Giant Panda Bei Bei Departs Smithsonian’s National Zoo for China
November 19 2019 - 10:32AM
Business Wire
FedEx Panda Express Will Proudly Deliver Bei
Bei to His New Home at the China Conservation and Research Center
in Chengdu
Bei Bei (BAY-BAY), the 4-year-old giant panda, began his journey
to China this morning. FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) is providing safe
transport for this precious cargo as he is returned home to aid the
world’s conservation efforts for this endangered species. Bei Bei
departed the Smithsonian’s National Zoo at 9:30 a.m. for Dulles
International Airport in northern Virginia where he will board a
dedicated FedEx 777F plane bound for Chengdu, China. The non-stop
flight will take about 16 hours.
This morning, the Zoo’s panda team arrived at 6:30 a.m. to
finalize preparations for Bei Bei’s departure. Bei Bei received his
last “American breakfast” of bamboo and leafeater biscuits and
spent time in his outdoor habitat. Already acclimated from daily
training, Bei Bei was called back indoors by assistant curator of
giant pandas, Laurie Thompson, and then into the custom travel
crate at approximately 8:15 a.m. Zoo staff moved the crate onto a
specially decorated forklift that traveled carefully out of the
David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat through the Zoo and
was loaded on a FedEx truck.
The “FedEx Panda Express,” a custom-decaled 777F aircraft, is
expected to depart at noon today from Dulles International Airport.
Today’s dedicated flight is part of the company’s FedEx Cares
“Delivering for Good” initiative. FedEx uses its global network and
logistics expertise to help organizations with mission-critical
needs in times of disaster and for special shipments. “FedEx is
honored to be entrusted with Bei Bei’s journey to his new home in
China,” said Richard W. Smith, executive vice president of Global
Support, regional president of the U.S., FedEx Express. “Our team
of skilled logistics experts, pilots and drivers take great pride
in using their expertise to help support efforts to preserve this
beloved, rare animal.”
The specialized travel crate built for FedEx is made of steel
and plexiglass and weighs approximately 800 pounds. Laurie
Thompson, who has cared for Bei Bei since his birth, and Don
Neiffer, chief veterinarian at the Zoo, will make the 8,508-mile
trip with him. They will continuously monitor Bei Bei during the
trip and are traveling with a supply of his favorite treats,
including 66 pounds of bamboo, 2 pounds of apples and pears, two
bags of leafeater biscuits, 2 pounds of cooked sweet potatoes and
water.
The panda team prepared Bei Bei for the move to make sure he is
comfortable and safe during his journey. To slowly acclimate him to
the travel crate, keepers asked Bei Bei to walk through it every
day. After he became comfortable doing that, they got him used to
spending short periods of time in it with the doors closed.
Upon arrival in Chengdu, Bei Bei’s new keepers from the China
Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda will meet him
on the tarmac and drive him to Bifenxia Panda Base where he will
stay in quarantine for approximately 30 days. The American team
will follow, and Thompson will remain with Bei Bei for a few days
while he acclimates to his new home. Bei Bei will enter the giant
panda breeding program when he reaches sexual maturity between 6
and 7 years old.
Giant pandas are listed as “vulnerable” in the wild by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature. There are an
estimated 1,800 in the wild. FedEx supports the movement of rescued
or endangered animals across the country and around the world as
part of its commitment to sustainability. FedEx also donated
dedicated aircrafts to bring Bei Bei’s older brother Tai Shan to
China in 2010, older sister Bao Bao to China in 2017 and their
parents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, to the United States in 2000.
You can follow Bei Bei’s journey on board the FedEx Panda
Express to China on FedEx.com/panda.
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 $70 billion, the company
offers integrated business solutions 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 450,000
team members to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and
professional standards and the needs of their customers and
communities. To learn more about how FedEx connects people and
possibilities around the world, please visit about.fedex.com.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191119005747/en/
Rae Lyn Rushing (901) 495-5311; rae.rushing@fedex.com Sederia
Gray (901) 302-6412; sederia.gray@fedex.com Media website:
http://fedex.com/panda
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