When the star attraction at Russia's Udmurtskiy Zoo needed some urgent dental work, AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC) was the only way to fly!

Sgata-Neseyka, a rare subspecies of Atlantic walrus which is included into Red Book, has been hand-reared by animal specialists at the zoo in Udmurtia since losing its mother. The 520 kilos walrus has prospered under the expert care and attention of keepers at the zoo and has also proved to be multi-talented, entertaining crowds by singing, dancing, clapping, playing the tambourine and kissing the hands of fans.

When Sgata-Neseyka needed treatment to extract an ingrowing tusk, keepers at the zoo identified Tierpark Hagenbeck TPG Hamburg as the best place for the walrus's treatment and rehabilitation and contacted the livestock experts at ABC to arrange the safe carriage of their precious cargo.

A special transportation cage was manufactured for Sgata-Neseyka's flight to Germany in accordance with IATA's live animal's regulations. For the comfort of the walrus, the cargo cabin temperature was maintained at +5-10'C for the entire duration of the flight.

Throughout the journey, the walrus was monitored by keeper Evgeniy Thashkin and Svetlana Malysheva, director of the zoo, to ensure it was comfortable.

ABC ensured Sgata-Neseyka arrived in Frankfurt-am-Main safely, on time and in good health. The walrus will spend the next few weeks in Germany to recover from its operation before returning to Udmurtskiy Zoo.