HOUSTON, March 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Eagle USA Airfreight, Inc.
(Nasdaq: EUSA) has successfully completed the transport and delivery of
Stormy, a rehabilitated bottlenose dolphin, from the Texas Marine Mammal
Stranding Network (TMMSN) in Galveston, Texas to the Mystic Aquarium in
Mystic, Conn. The live animal transfer, which was a first for Eagle USA, took
place March 22 and 23.
Stormy gained notoriety in the Texas Gulf Coast Region when he was rescued
after an apparent separation from his mother during Tropical Storm Frances.
The young dolphin, nicknamed Stormy, was suffering from malnutrition and shark
bites, and was rehabilitated by TMMSN with funds provided by Conoco, Inc.
After a remarkable recovery, the Stranding Network began its search for a
permanent home for Stormy, as a National Marine Fisheries Service committee
deemed the dolphin unfit to be released into the Gulf of Mexico due to his
inability to survive in the wild. Mystic Aquarium agreed to provide a new
home for Stormy with two adult female dolphins.
Stormy's journey began at approximately 10:00 p.m. Monday, March 22 when
he was loaded into a special tank situated inside a truck supplied by Eagle
USA Airfreight. Accompanied by a veterinarian and animal care specialist from
Mystic Aquarium, the truck departed Galveston at 11:30 p.m. to connect to the
Company's air network in Austin. There the dolphin was transferred and
secured into the cargo bay of a 727-200 bound for Philadelphia. For the last
leg of Stormy's junket, he was moved via ground service to Mystic, Conn.
Eagle USA Airfreight delivered the dolphin to Mystic Aquarium at approximately
2:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 23.
Aquarium officials praised Eagle USA, noting the Company had demonstrated
a flawless transport, which is important in keeping the dolphin's stress level
low. "Our first point of contact was Eagle's Hartford office, and we were
very comfortable with their expertise in developing a logistics plan that
would satisfy our requirements," said Eric Gaglione, curator of marine mammals
and birds for the aquarium and travel companion for Stormy. "We quickly
discovered that we were dealing with professionals throughout their system.
There wasn't one glitch along the way."
Eagle USA Airfreight's dedication to providing superior flexibility and
fewer shipping restrictions on a price competitive basis has made it a leading
provider of air freight forwarding and other transportation and logistics
services. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, the Company's network of 73
terminals in five countries features state-of-the-art information systems to
maximize cargo management efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Mystic Aquarium is a non-profit marine science center dedicated to
education and research.
The Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network rescues and rehabilitates marine
mammals that strand along the Texas Coast, providing food, medical treatment
and 24-hour a day observation. TMMSN also provides valuable data for
education and research.
Conoco is a major, integrated energy company based in Houston and is
active in 40 countries.
SOURCE Eagle USA Airfreight, Inc.
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Related links:
http://eagleusa.com
CONTACT:
Sherry Amberg, Mkt-Media Services Mgr. of
Eagle USA Airfreight, 281-618-3215, Deb Adamson of Mystic
Aquarium, 860-572-5955 ext. 522, Dr. Graham Worthy of TMMSN,
409-740-4721, or Guy Cantwell of Conoco, 281-293-3037
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