British Airways teamed up with Monkey World in Dorset to rescue a baby Slow Loris primate named Nora, which was being sold illegally in a pet shop in Lebanon.

The young, endangered, nocturnal primate had been prized away from her mother to be sold, and faced an uncertain future. When local authorities in Lebanon discovered her, she was confiscated and cared for by Animals Lebanon who contacted Monkey World in Dorset to ask if they could arrange a permanent home for her with their other group of Bengal Slow Loris’.

Alison Cronin, who runs the Ape Rescue Centre at Monkey World said: “We needed to get Nora to the UK where she can live with others of her own kind and receive specialist care. British Airways and IAG Cargo have worked with us over the last few years to rescue illegally obtained primates from across the world. We knew when we called them they’d want to help with the conservation of this incredible endangered species. Moving primates is never an easy job and there were many obstacles to get little Nora from Beirut to Monkey World so we are grateful to have been able to fly her to the UK, and in style!”

Nora traveled as a VIP in the cabin on the flight, so that she could be taken care of throughout her special journey to her new home.

Mary Barry, British Airways’ Manager Community Investment, said: “It’s been our pleasure to help bring Nora to the UK where she will have the chance for a new life and will be safe from harm’s way. We’ve supported organizations in the past that have aimed to put an end to wildlife crime and we were delighted to help ensure this special species doesn’t remain endangered. We’ll be keeping in touch with Nora to find out how she is progressing in her new home.”

Nora was the first endangered animal to be confiscated under the new Animal Protection and Welfare Laws in Lebanon and her case will be moved to the courts for prosecution.

British Airways has a long and proud history of working with primates and flew another slow loris to the UK in 2014. Kan’bulo had been smuggled into the Maldives and was rescued as part of a drugs raid. Since then, in 2017, the airline also assisted with the rescue of Mimi, an Orang-utan from Russia