Qatar Airways Cargo has once again assisted Animal Defenders International by transporting six young lions from the illegal wildlife trade to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in Johannesburg.
Known as the “Kuwait 6”, the males Muheeb, Saham, Shujaa, Saif, and females Dhubiya and Aziza were either seized or captured after being abandoned and cared for at Kuwait Zoo. Kuwait government officials contacted Animal Defenders International (ADI) to help the lions, so ADI offered them a home at their 455-acre sanctuary in South Africa.
Mark Drusch, Chief Officer Cargo at Qatar Airways Cargo, said: “We are proud to once again support ADI, this time in bringing these six beautiful lions home to Africa. Our WeQare Rewild the Planet initiative is our commitment to returning wildlife and endangered species to their natural habitats free of charge.
“It takes a lot of effort and logistics for our team to organise moving such large animals; from the logistics at the airports, loading and unloading the animals from the aircraft to ensuring the correct cages and well-being of the animals are in place, but it is something we are all collectively very proud and passionate to be a part of.”
Qatar Airways Cargo continues to reaffirm its commitment to animal welfare. The cargo carrier recently opened its new state-of-the-art Animal Centre and relaunched its Live product, setting new benchmarks in transporting live animals. As a leading transporter, with over 550,000 animals flown in 2023, the airline continues to advocate animal welfare globally, ensuring operations respect and contribute positively to animal well-being
Jan Creamer, President of Animals Defenders International, added, “The Kuwait 6 lions have their whole lives ahead of them and will have acres of space at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. We are thankful to Qatar Airways Cargo and their WeQare program for once again supporting us by covering the cost of the air transport back to Africa. We are also very thankful to the ADI supporters helping fund their care.”
Qatar Airways Cargo’s WeQare sustainability programme consists of a series of focus chapters based on four core pillars: environment, society, economy, and culture and is a conscious endeavour to create a more positive impact on the industry and the world.
Alzahra Aljanabi, Senior Translator, Animal Welfare Department, Public Authority of Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources in Kuwait, stated, “We would like to thank the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary for their support and efforts in providing a better habitat for the six lions from Kuwait. We are also thankful to Qatar Airways Cargo for generously offering air transport. People underestimate the risks of having wild animals as pets. They may be magnificent creatures, but they are also predators. We need more awareness to combat wildlife trafficking”.
Chapter 2—Rewild the Planet encourages the preservation of ecological balance by offering free transport to organisations involved in returning wild animals to their natural habitats.
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