Etihad Cargo Flies Rescued Brown Bears Bu and Tyapa from Russia to Ireland

Etihad Cargo has flown two rescued brown bears from Moscow to Dublin via its Abu Dhabi hub, completing a five-year international rescue effort that involved more than 100 people across multiple countries.

The bears, named Bu and Tyapa, arrived in Ireland on 4 August 2026. Bu is a former circus bear; Tyapa had been kept at a petting zoo. Both had spent years in unsuitable conditions in Dagestan, Russia, before the operation moved them to Wild Ireland, a wildlife sanctuary in County Donegal.

The rescue was coordinated by Killian McLaughlin, Founder and Director of Wild Ireland. Etihad Cargo carried the animals on the Moscow-Dublin leg through its Abu Dhabi hub, working with Abu Dhabi Airports and Velora to arrange specialist handling and transit at Zayed International Airport.

The carrier's live-animal credentials rest on its IATA CEIV Live Animals certification, which it says underpins animal safety, welfare and care at every stage of the journey. For a cargo airline, that certification is the commercial asset here: live animal transport is a specialized, high-touch segment where handling failures carry reputational and regulatory costs, and Etihad Cargo is using this mission to demonstrate capability.

What did the operators say?

Stanislas Brun, Chief Cargo Officer at Etihad, framed the mission as evidence of the airline's broader role. "At Etihad Cargo, we believe our global network and expertise can play a meaningful role in supporting wildlife conservation and animal welfare. Bu and Tyapa's rescue is a powerful example of how collaboration can give animals a second chance at life," he said, adding that the carrier was "proud to have supported this remarkable mission alongside our partners, demonstrating that what we do goes beyond connecting markets to making a positive difference."

McLaughlin emphasized the scale of the coalition behind the operation. "After five years of challenges, seeing Bu and Tyapa finally reach their new home is incredibly rewarding. This rescue would not have been possible without the kindness, determination and collaboration of people across multiple countries. Together, we have given these bears the chance of a better life," he said.

What happens next for the bears?

The animals moved into their new forest habitat at Wild Ireland in September. The sanctuary reports they are showing encouraging signs of recovery and gradually adapting to natural surroundings — an early indicator, though full acclimatization after years in captivity will take time to assess.

The five-year mission is also being documented. Abu Dhabi-based Moondance Productions has filmed the operation, with a documentary expected to be released in 2027. Shane Brennan, CEO of Moondance Productions, said the collaboration had "filled me with real hope in an age that can often feel increasingly bleak," calling it "both a privilege and a passion to capture this extraordinary journey across continents."

For Etihad Cargo, the flight is a small tonnage operation with outsized visibility: one Moscow-Dublin routing via Abu Dhabi, two passengers, and a documentary audience arriving in 2027. Expect the carrier to keep citing CEIV Live Animals as it courts more specialist animal shipments through the hub.