AN animal welfare group on Friday expressed concern over the plight of more than a hundred animals destined for China after a blue wildebeest died in a crate at the Johannesburg International Airport on Thursday night. Rick Allan, wildlife manager for the National Council of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA), said four rhino and four blue wildebeest in the consignment were kept behind in South Africa after the incident. Another 108 animals left on the plane around 4am on Friday morning. The flight to China will last between 27 and 30 hours. Allan said it would have been illegal to stop the shipment. “But we are extremely concerned over the welfare of the animals,” he said. The blue wildebeest died after the shipment’s flight was apparently delayed. It was the second time this specific shipment was delayed. On Monday, it was found that the crates did not meet laid-down specifications. The NSPCA, meanwhile, announced that a joint investigation would be conducted to establish who was responsible for the incident.