TAP plays its part in the rehabilitation of threatened animal species

The flight lasted four hours and 55 minutes and also had a technical specialist on-board who travelled with the ospreys from Finland. On arrival in Lisbon the five ospreys were offloaded in accordance with the specific procedures for the transport of these types of extremely delicate animals. The TAP Cargo team collaborated very closely from the very beginning with this carefully planned transport operation thus ensuring the success of the journey.

TAP worked together with the Osprey Reintroduction Project for Portugal, developed by the CIBIO – the Centre for Investigation in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, and also with EDP and ICNB - the Portuguese Institute for Nature Conservation.

The aim of the project is to re-establish this bird species in its historic nesting sites and is part of an international effort to re-establish the osprey in the Mediterranean region where its numbers are currently very small and under threat. To reintroduce the osprey, specimens have to be transported from countries where the species is considered to be stable.

Portugal has very suitable habitat for this species, including both the rocky coastline which is its ultimate refuge but also some humid, river zones and dammed reservoirs. This allows an initial reproductive nucleus to be created from which areas where this species was found historically may be gradually recolonised.

This project is now under way, run in cooperation with the Scandinavian countries where the birds were collected and also with the areas chosen in mainland Portugal where they are to be set free.

Ospreys are already in Herdade do Rocão, Alqueva, also a partner in this project, where they should remain over the next five years.

TAP has many years' experience in transporting live animals and is proud to be associated with projects to protect threatened species and wildlife.

Click here to see the video of five ospreys’ trip from Helsinki to Lisbon