Page 70 - World Airnews Magazine November 2020

FEATURE

PROTECTING AFRICA’S BELOVED

WILDLIFE WITH MARK HALDANE

By Nicola Tims

they have in the ecosystem has been incredible,” Mark said.
Today, the Zambezi Delta lions have a range of 2.5 million acres,
Mozambique in southeast Africa is home to some of and their numbers have doubled.
Africa’s most beloved wildlife, including lions, cheetahs, elephants, “It’s always interesting to see the numbers, and it’s very
rhinos, and zebras. But over the last few decades populations have rewarding, especially when you find a new litter of cubs."
dwindled. Along with aerial surveying and game capture, Mark and his team
Mark Haldane started flying 25 years ago, but aviation has been do a broad range of work for the wildlife industry, government
a part of his life for even longer. Mark grew up in South Africa and game reserves, and various NGOs.
has operated in the ‘rural, rural’ part of Mozambique for over 25 As the only helicopter operator in the Zambezi Delta, he also
years. runs charters, taking tourists to safari camps from Beira’s feeder
Years ago, he acquired half a million acres in the Zambezi Delta, airport.
and today, it’s where his company, Wildlife Helicopters, is based. Out of everything he does, Mark still enjoys wildlife surveying
Over the years, Mark and his team have played a pivotal role in the the most. Wildlife is also one of his greatest passions. Because of
repopulation of wildlife. this, you’re not likely to find Mark at the office.
Mark completed some of the area’s first wildlife surveys. He’s “I fly quite a bit, and I’m involved on the safari side as well. So,
seen Zambezi Delta’s buffalo grow from 1,200 to 25,000 - a quite often, my office is the cockpit of a helicopter.”
remarkable increase compared to other populations in Africa.
“Everyone’s involved,” Mark said, “The pilots, the counters, PROTECTION AGAINST POACHERS
the scientists. It’s one of the most rewarding things you can do. When the best views are often above, aviation plays a critical role
There are so many areas in Africa and across the world with loss in something else: protecting wildlife against poachers. Mark also
of habitat, overexploitation, and poaching. Being in an area where runs an anti-poaching team.
the numbers continue to go up is rewarding.”
The savannah and dry woodlands of southern Mozambique are
home to the African elephant, where the species’ population sits
around 600.
FLYING WITH LIONS Mark said that if he stopped his anti-poaching unit, 90% of the
In 2018, Mark was involved in the largest international move of game would be lost to poaching in three years.
wild lions - as part of a wildlife re-introduction project. To this day, “It’s quite an important role we play. If we’re going to keep this
flying 24 sedated lions for seven hours from South Africa to the wonderful and wild ecosystem for our grandkids to see one day,
Zambezi Delta is one of Mark’s most memorable experiences. we best keep looking after it,” Mark said.
“We had lions standing up in the back of the planes and all sorts Mark’s helicopters work overhead as an ‘eye in the sky’ to search
of catastrophes, but to get them there and to see them thrive as for signs of poaching. If they find anything, he’ll deploy a unit of

World Airnews | November Extra 2020
— 23—