American Airlines Cargo moves last tiger from Argentinian eco park

With help from American Airlines Cargo, Lucy, a 16-year-old Bengal tiger, has been relocated from an Eco Park in Mendoza, Argentina to The Wildcat Sanctuary in Sandstone, Minnesota, USA. The move is a result of the former Mendoza Zoo’s transition into an Eco Park, which has involved gradually relocating its animal residents to sanctuaries where they can begin new lives with their peers.

Lucy’s journey began with a truck ride covering approximately 750 miles from Mendoza to Ezeiza Airport (EZE) in Buenos Aires. The transportation process was carefully coordinated with Intermodal, the forwarder designated by the Mendoza Ministry of Energy and Environment, and American Airlines Cargo. The carrier ensured seamless communication between the teams at EZE and at the receiving station at John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) in New York, ensuring a safe trip for Lucy.

Lucy was the last tiger at the Mendoza Eco Park, having arrived there in 2011 as part of an animal exchange with another zoo in Buenos Aires. The Wildcat Sanctuary – an accredited non-profit, privately funded sanctuary that provides a natural habitat for wild cats in need of a home – had previously accepted two lions from Mendoza in 2018. At that time, the import regulations for lions were more lenient than those for tigers, who are considered an endangered species. With the zoo’s closure and its new focus on animal rights, there was hope that Lucy and her companion Violeta could be placed in a suitable facility more quickly.

However, years later, The Wildcat Sanctuary learned that Lucy and Violeta were still at the Eco Park. The journey to arrange their transport involved three years of securing permits, navigating changing jurisdictions, and securing funding. Tragically, during this time, Violeta passed away, making staff even more determined to get Lucy to Minnesota.

On arrival in EZE, Lucy was flown on an American Airlines B787-8 for an 11-hour flight to JFK. Sanctuary staff, including a veterinarian, met her there ready for the final 1,200-mile onward drive to The Wildcat Sanctuary.

Lucy’s journey marks the second animal that American Airlines Cargo has helped rescue from Mendoza. In 2019, Sandra, a 33-year-old orangutan, was moved to a sanctuary in Florida after being granted human rights necessary to make the journey. With support from the courts in Argentina, American facilitated her safe passage to the US, where she found a new home.

“It was an honor for American to provide our services to aid in Sandra’s relocation back in 2019 and we are just as proud to have been able to play our part in the re-homing of Lucy to a more suitable environment. Our teams worked in tandem with staff from the sanctuary team to make sure everything ran like clockwork and we look forward to following Lucy’s story,” said Indy Bolina, Head of Global Sales for American Airlines Cargo.