Qatar Airways Cargo joined forces with Animal Defenders International (ADI) to transport six young lions from the illegal wildlife trade to a sanctuary in Johannesburg, South Africa. This marks another milestone in their collaborative efforts to protect and rewild endangered species.
The six lions, known collectively as the “Kuwait 6,” were initially rescued from the illegal wildlife trade and taken into the care of the Kuwait Zoo. The group includes males Muheeb, Saham, Shujaa, and Saif, and females Dhubiya and Aziza. Upon receiving a request for assistance from Kuwaiti government officials, ADI stepped in to offer the lions a permanent home at their 455-acre sanctuary in South Africa.
Mark Drusch, Chief Officer Cargo at Qatar Airways Cargo, expressed pride in the airline’s role: “We are proud to once again be supporting 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 back to their natural habitat, free of charge. It takes a lot of effort and logistics for our team to organize moving such large animals; from the logistics at the airports, loading and unloading the animals from the aircraft to ensuring the correct cages and wellbeing of the animals are in place, but it is something we are all collectively very proud and passionate to be a part of.”
Jan Creamer, President of ADI, highlighted the significance of this mission saying, “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 in once again supporting us by covering the cost of the air transport back to Africa. We are also very thankful to the ADI supporters who are helping to fund their care.”
Additionally, Alzahra Aljanabi from Kuwait’s Public Authority of Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources emphasized the importance of awareness in combating wildlife trafficking. “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.”
Qatar Airways Cargo has long been an advocate for animal welfare. Their new state-of-the-art Animal Centre and relaunch of the Live product exemplify their dedication to setting high standards in the transport of live animals. The airline transported over 550,000 animals in 2023 alone.
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