AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC) has added Beluga whales to its growing list of successful live animal shipments. The airline carried two of the animals, weighing a combined 5.5 tonnes from Moscow to Beijing on board one of its six times weekly Boeing 747-400 freighterservices between the two cities.

The whale, which is sometimes called sea canary due to its high-pitched twitter, can grow up to 16 feet in length. Handling of the special water filled transport container was managed by Moscow Airport. The belugas were followed by four dolphins on the same route between Russia and China.

ABC’s other animal ‘passengers’ have included 1,275 breeding pigs from Montreal, Canada to Vladivostok in Russia, rare Akhal-Teke horses for breeding from Russia to China, 105 elite horses from Amsterdam to Moscow, 380 breeding cows from Melbourne to Kazan in Russia as well as top race horses, walruses, brown and polar bears and elephants.