Fifteen lions and tigers, together with their specialised crates weighing a combined 5.4 tonnes, have flown from Buenos Aires through Santiago to Denver on a LATAM Cargo Boeing 767 freighter. The captive-wildlife relocation tested every layer of the carrier's live-animal logistics chain, from CITES permits to ramp handling in three jurisdictions.

"Transporting 15 big cats simultaneously is a high-precision logistics challenge," Alex Zelada, LATAM Cargo Product Manager, said. "It involved moving 5.4 metric tonnes of cargo, combining the animals and their specialised crates, and required careful coordination among a multidisciplinary team across operational and commercial departments."

The crates alone accounted for 2.9 tonnes of the payload — more than half the total shipment weight. For context, that is roughly the mass of two average family cars carried as pure packaging, on top of the animals themselves.

How was the operation planned?

Preparations began weeks before take-off and drew in more than 15 professionals from LATAM Cargo's Commercial, Operations, Quality, Ramp and Legal departments, among others. The team first assessed whether the aircraft could absorb the weight, dimensions and stowage requirements of the crates, then examined connection times, ground-handling exposure and contingency procedures at each location.

Regulatory planning was its own workstream. The operation required CITES permits plus veterinary, health and customs documentation across Argentina, Chile and the United States, coordinated between the shipper, agents and authorities at origin, transit and destination.

Four Paws International led the wider relocation effort, with logistics coordinated alongside Intermodal Logistics Services S.A. LATAM Cargo operated the full Buenos Aires–Santiago–Denver air leg, after which responsibility for the animals passed to The Wild Animal Sanctuary.

Why the B767 freighter mattered

LATAM Cargo selected the Boeing 767 freighter deliberately. The carrier operates a homogeneous freighter fleet composed exclusively of B767s, and it said the type provided the configuration and cargo-hold conditions required by the agreed welfare plan and the applicable IATA Live Animals Regulations.

The Operational Standards and Procedures and Quality teams assessed the crates' weight distribution, restraint, ventilation and stowage, as well as their compatibility with the aircraft. Those checks followed the IATA Live Animals Regulations and were intended to protect both the containers' structural integrity and the welfare plan established for the flight. The route itself was evaluated for technical feasibility and regulatory compliance, with teams working to operate efficiently and keep transit times to a minimum.

What happened on the ground and in the air?

A dedicated specialist accompanied the animals aboard the aircraft and monitored their condition throughout the flight. The same specialist supervised ramp procedures, worked to cut waiting times and exposure, reduced unnecessary movements and external stressors, and stayed in direct contact with operational teams on the ground.

An escalation procedure was in place in case any animal showed signs of stress or distress, allowing mitigation measures to be taken in line with its condition and the applicable safety and welfare requirements.

Ground movements were planned in advance to limit handling. In Denver, the animals moved directly from the aircraft to specially equipped trucks supplied by the sanctuary, trimming the time they spent on the ramp before the final road journey.

"Every single movement on the ground was planned in advance under the premise of minimising the animals' exposure and handling," Zelada said.

What does the operation signal for live-animal cargo?

For LATAM Cargo, the shipment demonstrated that specialist wildlife transportation depends on more than aircraft capacity. Documentation, container assessment, ground handling, onboard oversight and clearly defined transfers of responsibility must operate as a single coordinated process — a lesson the carrier says extends well beyond big cats.

"This case reinforced an important lesson: successful live-animal transportation depends on early preparation, clear accountability and strong end-to-end coordination," Zelada said.

For forwarders and shippers moving live animals on Latin American trade lanes, the takeaway is that lead times are set weeks out, not days. Early engagement with the carrier on crate engineering, permit workflows and ground-handling windows is the difference between a controlled relocation and a stalled shipment at customs.

"Looking ahead, animal welfare and regulatory compliance are non-negotiable conditions for any live-animal operation," Zelada concluded. LATAM Cargo's all-B767 freighter fleet and its investment in multidisciplinary live-animal teams suggest the carrier intends to keep competing for exactly this kind of high-touch, high-margin cargo.