LATAM Cargo Group has successfully transported a rare southern white rhinoceros by air from Chile to Brazil, completing a highly complex live-animal operation that supports international conservation and breeding efforts for the endangered species. The mission followed more than a year of detailed planning and coordination and was carried out in partnership with specialist logistics provider SPARX Logistics.
The relocation was completed on December 2, when Atanasio, a five-year-old southern white rhinoceros born at Buinzoo Biopark in Chile in 2020, was flown to São Paulo. Weighing close to two tonnes, Atanasio will now join an international conservation and breeding programme aimed at strengthening the long-term survival of the species.
Born during the Covid-19 pandemic, Atanasio is one of only three southern white rhinoceroses born under professional human care in Latin America, all at Buinzoo Biopark. His siblings include Pantaleón, born in 2017 and transported by LATAM Cargo Group to Colombia in 2022 to support another conservation programme, and Silverio, born in 2024, who remains in Chile with his parents, Hanna and Oliver.
The operation required extensive preparation by SPARX Logistics, which managed regulatory documentation, international procedures, shipment preparation and end-to-end operational coordination to ensure the animal’s safety and welfare throughout the journey. A custom-designed transport container was used, and a specialist accompanied the rhinoceros during the flight to minimise stress and support its adaptation.
Juan Manuel Rojas, Global CEO of SPARX Logistics, said the primary objective was to guarantee optimal transport conditions by planning every stage in detail well ahead of time. He noted that assigning a dedicated specialist to travel with Atanasio was critical to maintaining stability during the flight and supporting the animal’s transition to its new environment.
From the airline’s perspective, the mission highlighted the technical expertise required for transporting oversized live animals. Juan Pablo Márquez, Senior Operations Manager for South America at LATAM Cargo Group, said such operations demonstrate both the company’s operational capabilities and its commitment to initiatives that deliver a positive environmental and social impact, with animal welfare remaining the top priority.
Buinzoo Biopark described the relocation as a major milestone for regional conservation efforts. With an estimated global population of only around 20,000 southern white rhinoceroses remaining, the successful transfer underscores the importance of international collaboration in species preservation. Ignacio Idalsoaga, Director of Buinzoo Biopark, said the achievement reflects coordinated work across multiple organisations and positions the institution as a regional reference in wildlife conservation, following the successful birth of three calves under professional care.
Atanasio’s arrival in Brazil is expected to reinforce conservation initiatives led by South American institutions over the past decade, built on collaboration, technical exchange and the development of specialised breeding programmes. The relocation marks the second rhinoceros born in Chile to be transported abroad for conservation purposes, and the third international relocation involving this family carried out by LATAM Cargo Group. The airline had previously transported Atanasio’s parents from South Africa to Chile in 2013, underlining its longstanding experience in complex live-animal air cargo operations.
