• Group of fourbears to their new home 9,000 km away

• Variety oftemperature-control measures, including 10°C trucks, kept the bears fromclimate-related stress throughout the journey

TOKYO, JAPAN - Media OutReach - 5 August 2018 -Four of Hokkaido's endangeredUssuri brown bears - Riku, Kai, Hanako and Amu - have safely migrated to their new home in the United Kingdom's YorkshireWildlife Park, transported with utmost care during the 9,000km journey by DHLGlobal Forwarding, the leading international provider of air, sea and roadfreight services.

Theendangered Ussuri brown bear, also known as the black grizzly bear, is found inmany regions in the world but they are extinct across parts of Asia. Reportedto be 10,000 left in Japan, the bears are on the IUCN Red List of ThreatenedSpecies due to their vulnerability to habitat loss, illegal hunting andcapture, and being poached for body parts and skins.

EachUssuri brown bear can weigh up to 550kg and requires temperatures to bemaintained as closely as possible to their native climate in northern Japan andKorea.[1]As such, purpose-built crates that could fit into the aircraft were producedfor each of the bears to ensure they were comfortable throughout the trip.

Movingfrom Hokkaido, the bears' voyage saw them travel via specialtemperature-controlled trucks chilled to 10°C for the journey to the New ChitoseAirport in Hokkaido. From the Hokkaido airport, they were flown to Haneda Airportin Tokyo, Japan, where they boarded a connecting flight to Heathrow Airport, London.A veterinarian and an animal handler travelled alongside the precious cargo, asmaintaining a safe and comfortable environment for the bears was of paramountimportance.

"Anyshipment of live animals, particularly those with such unique needs as theUssuri brown bears, requires extensive planning and collaboration between variousparties," said Charles Kaufmann, President/Representative Director -- Japan K.Kand CEO, North Asia, DHL Global Forwarding. "We're proud to be able to play acritical role in bringing to bear our full set of competencies, from rapidmultimodal freight to customs clearance of sensitive cargos, in relocatingthese four magnificent creatures to their new world-class home, along with theteam at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. Having our own offices at both the New Chitoseand Haneda airports, as well as a dedicated temperature-controlled 10-ton truckrequired for this project, enabled us to provide an ideal solution for this intricateoperation."

DHLGlobal Forwarding worked closely with the Park to plan and orchestrate the complexvoyage, optimizing and customizing transport routes and modes respectively. Thecompany also provided expedited customs clearance for the bears' arrival inLondon while Park staff managed final leg of the journey from the airport totheir new home. 

Thebears, ranging from 17 to 27 years old, will spend the rest of their lives inthe care of expert handlers at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, a world leader inendangered species welfare which also hosts one of the largest polar bear conservationprojects in the world.[2]The park and its Foundation support conservation and welfare projectsall around the world - from the critically endangered Amur leopard in Russia,the black rhino in East Africa to the lemurs of Madagascar.

"Spacious,temperature-controlled environments were a necessity for the bears' welfarealong the voyage," said John Minion, CEO, Yorkshire Wildlife Park. "DHL took utmost care to ensure the animalsarrived with as little stress and risk to their health as possible -- no meanfeat for such a lengthy and complex journey. The bears will be the firstresidents in a new Rehabilitation Centre at the Park - a 2.5-acre specialistreserve which has been designed for short to mid-term housing of carnivores whohave been rehomed - before moving into their permanent home at the Park. We areexcited to prepare the bears for their new home where they will receive thelifelong care they need."

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