Just a few days ago Roger Gower’s helicopter got shot down by poachers in Tanzania and he was killed. He was 37. I found out about this through my friend in Tanzania who knew him well – she also knew his passenger. The story of his shooting – with the bullet going through his leg, his arm and lodged behind his eye, his friend having to pull him from the helicopter and hide from the poachers for hours as he slowly died…how absolutely terrifying and tragic. HOW COME THE HELICOPTER’S DON’T HAVE FLOORS THAT ARE BULLET PROOF???
He was trying to save three elephants that had just been shot and killed and their tusks removed. The elephant population in Tanzania has declined dramatically from 110K in 2009 to 43K in 2014 and the poaching is getting increasingly more violent with links to extremist groups.
His brother’s Max and John have set up a JustGiving page to raise £50,000 to help anti-poaching efforts in their brother’s name. Right now the donations stand at £39,340
They say: We are Roger’s brothers. We are proud to have known him and to be able to say he was our brother. Those who knew him will remember his idiosyncrasies but also his principles and his infectious love of having fun. He will be sorely missed by all.
More information on the story is here: http://www.itv.com/news/2016-01-31/charity-appeal-set-up-to-honour-british-pilot-killed-by-poachers-in-tanzania/
You can find his page by going to Justgiving.com/roger-gower
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