LATAM Cargo operated a dedicated charter flight carrying 15 rescued big cats — eight tigers and seven lions — from Buenos Aires to Denver, with a technical stop in Santiago. The Boeing 767 freighter mission delivered the animals to the United States for transfer to The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado, as part of a highly specialised live-animals operation.
The shipment involved 5.4 tonnes of freight, including 2.5 tonnes for the animals and 2.9 tonnes for their transport boxes. More than 15 specialists prepared the move over several weeks, coordinating with animal-welfare group Four Paws International and logistics partners to manage welfare, handling and timing.
During the flight, the animals were continuously monitored by a specialist. On arrival in Denver, the transfer was arranged to be as rapid as possible, with trucks from the sanctuary positioned to move the cats directly on to the next leg to Keenesburg.