Aerial Monitoring of Lion and Rhino Populations in Zimbabwe

Flying for Wildlife was created with the purpose of providing free-of-charge aerial assistance to conservation organizations working on the ground in Zimbabwe. They have operated for five years and flown around 1,000 hours in support of conservation. This aerial support has resulted in some key successes in the past year like identifying poaching hotspots, locating human encroachments inside parks, and flying rescue missions for wildlife. This year, COVID-19 has resulted in reduced tourism and funding to conservation efforts, and greater risk of poaching. Flying for Wildlife received a grant from both the RRF and the LRF to aid in their flying operations across Zimbabwe, which is essential for patrolling rhino and lion landscapes.