On April 1st, 109 live animals arrived at Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA). The animals were transported through various countries to a soon-to-open safari in Cebu.
Chartered cargo planes were used to transport the animals from the United States to the Czech Republic, and then to Dubai, and finally to Cebu. To insure the wellbeing of the animals, 5 attending veterinarians were present at every pickup point. The veterinarians checked the status of the animals and made sure they were hydrated and safe.
Already stationed at the unloading area of MCIA were 15 Customs Officials and 3 representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) so that examinations and clearances could be done and processed quickly.
This level of care and efficiency at every step of the transport process facilitated the smooth flow of release from MCIA and in less than an hour the animals were already in transit to their new home.