Pilot in the Wild

Flights of Conservation and Survival

John Bassi has dedicated most of his life to the plight of wildlife in Africa, specializing in operating helicopters and becoming one of the leading game-capture pilots and conservationists. Raised in north eastern Zimbabwe, he was inspired by a life of living and working in wilderness areas throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Fueled by a passion for wilderness and aviation, John embarked on a challenging and fascinating journey through the birth, growth, and change of South Africa’s game-capture industry. Translocation projects, wildlife research, and veterinary and breeding projects exposed him to the shape, form, and movement of African wildlife on a daily basis. On the flip side, he has been witness to elements that hide commercial exploitation under the guise of conservation and he has seen the degradation of some of South Africa’s pristine wilderness areas. This book recounts how John has incorporated his extensive knowledge and skill into providing a unique helicopter platform for wildlife research projects, large-scale anthrax vaccinating, aerial game censuses, radio tracking, ecological surveys, helicopter safaris, conservation education, and everything else imaginable with regard to rotorcraft aviation.