Kuala Lumpur International Airport, 18 June 2014 - MASkargo and its Animal Hotel scored another point in live animal carriage and handling when a pair of Elephas Maximus Sumatrae (Sumatran Elephants) were successfully flown into Japan from Jakarta today.

The pair, named Ida and Aswatama, were onboard flight MH 6076 from Jakarta to Kuala Lumpur and thereafter, flight MH 6192 which flew them to Tokyo. Weighing 1tonne and 780kg respectively, the elephants required special handling and attention to ensure a smooth journey for them while onboard the MASkargo A330-200 freighter. The pair of elephants arrived safely at Narita International Airport at 0835hrs local time today where they were immediately sent to their new home at the Gunma Safari Park.

With more than 15 years experience, MASkargo Animal Hotel is well equipped to execute live animal handling and carriage such as this.

The 6-Star MASkargo Animal Hotel was a first of its kind when it opened in 1998. Ever since then, the Animal Hotel has handled various live exotic animal shipments such as sea lions, tiger sharks, baby giraffes, rhinoceros, zebras and a pair of giant pandas being one of its most recent shipment.

Last year, MASkargo handled up to 8 million tonnes of live animal shipments at its hub in KLIA. Some of the shipment consisted of live seafood, ornamental fishes and livestock such as cattle, sheep, day-old chicks and goats, to name a few. Livestock shipments accounted for almost 5 million tonnes of total tonnage handled by MASkargo Animal Hotel.

Apart from livestock, horses are also common guests at the Animal Hotel. In 2013, more than 200 horses were entrusted under the care of MASkargo and all shipments of live horses were handled smoothly and efficiently.

As a member of the IATA Live Animal Board, the MASkargo Animal Hotel is well versed on the latest know-how on both safety and animal welfare pertaining to shipments of live animals.