By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter

Asiana Airlines will undertake its largest-scale transport mission ever to swap animals between Seoul Grand Park and Thailand's Samut Prakan Crocodile Farm and Zoo.

In the project dubbed ``Noah's Ark,'' the nation's second largest airline will carry a total of 373 animals.

The Seoul park official said Monday that the two zoos will exchange 373 animals of 70 species by June ― the park will send 189 animals of 33 species to the Thai zoo, while bringing 184 of 37 species from it.

The animals are worth about 2.2 billion won and weigh 80 tons in total.

The two zoos agreed on the swap last March in an effort to preserve wild animals and secure rare species.

The first flight will take place next week. Asiana's B747-400 cargo flight will take 90 animals from Korea to Thailand on Jan. 24, and bring 30 animals from the Southeast Asian country to Korea the next day. The second will take place in June.

The 189 animals the Korean zoo will send include pumas, Korean gray wolves and Siberian tigers. The animals from the Thai zoo include mongooses, southern tamanduas, and musk cats.

Some 100 rare animals will also come to Korea, such as Nile crocodiles, the world's largest crocodile at six meters long weighing more than 680 kilograms; green anacondas, the world's largest and heaviest anaconda; mongooses; and veiled chameleons.

``The transportation will be the biggest effort in the world. We are sending animals of which we have many, and bringing new and rare ones that we don't have,'' a park official said.

Asiana Airlines, at the helm of ``Noah's Ark,'' is preparing all work to carry the animals safely. It is making special containers, studying proper in-flight temperatures and oxygen levels, and preparing for quarantine and customs procedures. Veterinarians and caretakers will accompany the animals.

The carrier took charge of the transportation as it has previous experience ― it has safely carried pigs, horses, crocodiles and tropical fish before.

rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr