Hunt underway for poachers suspected to have shot down a helicopter in Tanzania
He was dedicated to fighting poaching – and he died doing just that. Roger Gower’s helicopter was shot down as he was helping authorities catch three suspected poachers. The British pilot died shortly afterwards. On Sunday, one of his friends and colleagues paid tribute.
“I will remember Roger as an amazing human being. Great sense of humour. I loved his British cocky accent. His British sense of humour. Team player. Friend. Brother.”Pratik Patel, Roger Gower’s Friend
His co-pilot Nick Bester survived the crash and is recovering in Kenya. In just five years to 2014, Tanzania lost sixty per cent of its elephants to poachers, who often smuggle the ivory illegally into markets in Asia. But now the country has deployed a special intelligence unit, planes and drones in its battle.And a huge hunt is underway to find Gower’s killers. Two suspects have been arrested so far.
Tanzania may have lost tens of thousands of elephant in the last few years, but recently officials believed they were starting to turn the tide. Roger Gower was a key part of the conservation community, and his death will only strengthen their resolve to win what they call ‘a war against poaching.
