Who doesn’t love a surprise early on Christmas morning? Especially one that takes you on an epic adventure. In Maputo, Mozambique, Hannes van Wyk, Peace Parks Foundation’s aviation manager and chief pilot and instructor, makes his way over to the Maputo National Park headquarters – with a special surprise in store for Domingos who currently works in the operations room. He has been selected to train as one of the park’s new pilots and today will be his first lesson.
With all the pre-flight checks done, the pair is ready to take to the skies for an unforgettable patrol of the park. With the recent merging of Maputo Special Reserve and Ponto do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve into one large conservation area, there is a lot of ground to cover – both over land and offshore.
Hannes spends the morning with Domingos, assisting him with flight training which entails patrolling the Futi Corridor all the way to the South African border. The sights and scenery never disappoint as the magnificent green plains below provide them with an array of spectacular sightings including elephant, wildebeest, zebra and reedbuck. As their flight path leads them over the azure waters of the Indian Ocean, Hannes spots a large shark, Domingos sees his first sea turtle and they identify several turtle nesting sites along the beach, a vital part of the protection of these marine species.
As enviable as Hannes and Domingos’ morning flight sounds, aerial surveillance plays a critically important role in the monitoring and protection of our conservation areas. Some of the benefits include assistance with anti-poaching operations, wildlife census, game capture operations and early detection of threats such as wildfires.
As Peace Parks Foundation and its partners work very closely with communities surrounding these national parks, investing in the local people through skills development and employment opportunities, such as pilot training programmes, is crucial for capacity development. This helps to ensure the long-term sustainability and success of southern Africa’s conservation projects.
Keep watching Peace Parks TV to see how Domingos progresses with flight training.
