Rescued polar bear cub arrives in Kentucky

[Admin Rose]

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Qannik, the Alaskan orphaned polar bear cub, has reached her new home at the Louisville Zoo in Kentucky thanks to UPS.

“We’ve moved whale sharks, we’ve moved pandas, and we’ve moved the Terra Cotta warriors. It’s all about logistics.”
.Qannik arrived in Louisville Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at 12:40 a.m. on a climate-controlled UPS Boeing 747-400 with an entourage of animal experts from the Alaska and Louisville zoos who cared for her during the six hour flight.

UPS Captain Edward Horne piloted the direct flight from Alaska along with First Officer Wayne Jackson and escort Captain Steve Jennings. UPS has flown similarly precious cargo before. “Flying a 5-month-old polar bear across the country really isn’t too complicated for UPS,” said Scott DePaepe, the UPS Alaska logistics coordinator. “We’ve moved whale sharks, we’ve moved pandas, and we’ve moved the Terra Cotta warriors. It’s all about logistics.”

Qannik’s crate was loaded onto the 747 just prior to departure in Anchorage to minimize her wait time, and she was the first off the plane in Louisville. One of the Louisville Zoo Veterinarians, Dr. Zoli Gymesi, and Louisville Zoo Assistant Mammal Curator Jane Anne Franklin had continuous in-flight access to Qannik. Dr. Gymesi remarked, “Qannik had a quiet flight. She appeared comfortable and restful.” Franklin fed Qannik special frozen formula pops that the Alaska Zoo Animal Curator Shannon Jensen had prepared and her cabin temperature was chilled to between 58 and 60 degrees. “She was a great traveler,” Franklin adds. Once she arrived in Louisville, she was transported in a climate-controlled vehicle accompanied by a back-up vehicle and security.

The polar bear cub now goes into a standard period of quarantine where she will be off exhibit while she adjusts to her new surroundings. “We have a nice temperature-controlled bedroom facility where she can acclimate, and she has access to chilled pools so she can learn to swim in baby steps,” describes Louisville Zoo Director John Walczak. “We’re looking at everything and taking it one step at a time making sure she has what she needs to enrich her life.” Her progress will be updated on the Louisville Zoo’s website at www.louisvillezoo.org and via the Zoo’s official Facebook and Twitter pages (@qannikthecublz). You can follow Operation Snowflake at #operationsnowflake.

Operation Snowflake is the product of a two-month collaboration between the Alaska Zoo and Louisville Zoo, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Polar Bears International (PBI) and UPS.

Qannik received national attention when she was found on Alaska’s North Slope in April by employees of ConocoPhillips. Qannik means “snowflake” in the Iñupiat language and is also the name of the oil field where she was found.

The Louisville Zoo, a non-profit organization and state zoo of Kentucky, is dedicated to bettering the bond between people and our planet by providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for visitors, and leadership in scientific research and conservation education. The Zoo is accredited by the American Association of Museums (AAM) and by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).