What Unusual Items has DHL Delivered in 2025?
DHL offers a wide portfolio of services, including specialised solutions for each and every shipping need.
Now, the logistics giant has revealed some of the more unusual, remarkable and high-value items it was entrusted with delivering in 2025.
151 bear sculptures
In June, DHL transported 151 life-sized bear sculptures from Wustermark to Singapore – a distance of around 10,000 kilometres.
The sculptures are two metres tall and made from weather-resistant fibreglass. Each one is painted by an artist from a different country, representing the culture and identity of each nation.
Launched in 2002 in Berlin, the United Buddy Bears project celebrates tolerance and peace. This year, the bears were shipped to Singapore, where they went on display for two months.
The bears weighed a total of 37 tonnes, taking up eight sea containers and leaving the Port of Hamburg for its sea voyage – all overseen by DHL.
Bongo antelopes head home
In February, DHL helped 17 mountain bongo antelopes return home, travelling from a conservation centre in Loxahatchee, Florida, to a wildlife sanctuary on Mount Kenya.
The animals are descended from mountain bongos which were relocated from Kenya in the 1970s. The species is classed as critically endangered, with less than 100 left in the wild following decades of poaching and habitat loss.
To ensure the bongos reached Kenya safely, DHL hosted a dedicated flight with custom-built crates supplied by a wildlife protection organisation. Two bongo specialists and a veterinarian were on board to provide constant care for the animals.
In Kenya, they will live within a safe and secure environment that allows them to breed, with the aim of their offspring eventually being released into the wild.
A helmet across continents
In March, a very special helmet toured across continents, from Switzerland to Brazil, to be signed by a number of motor racing legends.
The helmet was signed by all 20 living F1 world champions, making it an important piece of motorsport history. Signatories included Michael Schumacher, the seven-time world champion who has withdrawn from public life since his skiing accident in 2013. With the help of his wife, Michael was able to sign his initials on the helmet.
With tight security measures, DHL transported the helmet from Switzerland to each of the champions, following a route with stops in Ibiza, London and Brasilia.
A replica of the helmet was later used as a raffle prize to raise funds for Race Against Dementia, a charity founded by three-time F1 world champion Sir Jackie Stewart.
Saadoon the baboon
Saadoon, a three-month old baboon, was found in a critical condition in Bahrain in 2024. In November 2025, DHL helped transport the young male to Djibouti, East Africa.
After a year of intensive care by an animal welfare organisation, DHL took Saadoon to Djibouti, an environment suited to his species. He was transferred to a specialised refuse near Djibouti city.
Custom boxes, veterinary oversight and an accompanying animal welfare representative meant Saadoon's stress was kept a minimum during the flight
Now settled in a sanctuary designed for his needs, Saadoon shares his new home with a female baboon, which is vital for social bonding among these intelligent primates. His surroundings give him the opportunity to adapt and, in time, hopefully live freely.
The Copa Libertadores trophy
DHL played a crucial role in South America's most prestigious club football showdown in November.
Beginning at CONMEBOL’s headquarters in Luque, Paraguay, DHL transferred the iconic Copa Libertadores trophy to Lima, Peru. The final is watched by millions of people around the world, matching up the best clubs in South America.
DHL serves as CONMEBOL’s official logistics partner and was therefore responsible for ensuring the trophy arrived safely and on time.
The trophy is approximately one metre in height and requires a custom metallic case with its own special security lock.
