Air Charter Service (ACS) recently transported 39 white rhinos from Namibia to Dallas as part of breeding initiatives aimed at protecting the species and preserving their genetic diversity. This operation involved months of planning and coordination with conservationists, veterinarians, and airlines.
The rhinos traveled in specially designed containers aboard a Boeing 747 freighter. Due to the cargo’s significant weight of around 80 tons, a refueling stop was made in Cape Verde before reaching the U.S. Upon arrival, the rhinos were quarantined before moving to their new environment. This was the largest single airlift of rhinos to date, breaking its previous record of relocating 30 rhinos from South Africa to Rwanda in 2021. Additionally, the company facilitated the transport of 16 rhinos to the Democratic Republic of Congo. These initiatives demonstrate ACS’s commitment to wildlife conservation and its capability in executing challenging animal relocation projects.
Lyndee du Toit, CEO of ACS Africa, commented: “The purpose of this project is to responsibly and ethically conserve the endangered white rhino population and preserve the Namibian rhinos’ unique genetics against poaching. It is the largest translocation of rhino ever undertaken and required many months of careful planning, working in close collaboration with the conservation and relocation company and the airline. Over the past few years we have been involved in several flights transporting these magnificent creatures, so are well-versed in what is required from our side. In 2021, we arranged a charter to move 30 rhinos from a South African reserve to their new home in Rwanda, in what was then the largest single translocation project. This latest flight, with 39, becomes the most rhinos ever to have flown on one aircraft. There was an intricate load plan to fit all the oversize containers on board the Boeing B747, but once aboard, the team of veterinarians were able to personally look after the creatures for the duration of the flight to the United States. A fuel stop in Sal, Cape Verde, was necessary due to the rhinos combined weight of 80 tons, before landing at Dallas Fort Worth Airport, where they were unloaded under the full supervision of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, before their onward journeys. They have now been released from their quarantine bomas and are doing well in their new environments.”
