Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, used its expertise in handling animals to help deliver a neglected chimpanzee to its new home in Sao Paulo.
Omega, a 12-year-old from Lebanon, is now settling into life at a sanctuary in Curitiba after his journey with Emirates SkyCargo, whose Animal Care solution encompasses proven experience in handling and care for live animals, including pets, exotics and the world’s finest racehorses, as well as complying strictly with IATA Live Animal Regulations (LAR).
Omega, who reportedly has never climbed a tree or seen other chimpanzees, was rescued by Animals Lebanon and Emirates was pleased to be able to help the organisation deliver him to his new life at the Santuário do Paraná.
“Obviously transporting animals requires the highest degree of care and special handling, from when we accepted the chimpanzee for carriage in Lebanon, right through to when we delivered Omega to the sanctuary in Sao Paulo,†said Dave Gould, Emirates’ Senior Vice President Cargo Operations Worldwide.
“An operation like this can only go to plan with nothing less than total cooperation from everyone involved – from the team at Animals Lebanon to the captain of the aircraft to customs authorities to the cargo handlers. This was a true joint effort from the outset and we are very proud to have played a role delivering Omega to his new home.”
On reaching the sanctuary, Omega was in great spirits and immediately began exploring his new home. The prediction is he will be in quarantine for a month, where he will be carefully supervised until he is ready to move to his permanent home.
“Omega will be maintained in quarantine until we are absolutely sure he is able to live among the other animals. We are experts in this kind of rescue, with 35 years of experience, ” said Milan Starostik, owner of the sanctuary.
Omega can now look forward to a happy future after a troubled past which included a spell serving at a restaurant, followed by eight years in an underground zoo, before his last home at a zoo where visitors gave him cigarettes and watched him smoke.
“There is still no licensing or regulating of zoos in Lebanon,†said Lana El-Khalil, President of Animals Lebanon. “This is the third zoo we have worked to close down, and until the remaining zoos meet international standards Animals Lebanon will continue to campaign to have conditions drastically improve or the zoos closed.â€
