Sacha Dench Explained

Sacha Dench is an Australian biologist, conservationist and adventurer.[1] In 2016, she set a Guinness World Record as the first woman to cross the English Channel by paramotor.[2] She is the recipient of the Britannia Trophy and winner of the Green Swan Award.[3]

Career

In 2016, Dench flew 7000 kilometres across 11 countries in a paramotor, for the purpose of tracking the migrating Bewick's swan from the Russian Arctic to the UK. During that time, she was working as a biologist for Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.[4]

She is the co-founder and CEO of Conservation Without Borders and, in 2020,[5] became a UN Ambassador for Migratory Species.[6]

In October 2018, she gave a TED talk entitled "The Human Swan" about finding your own passion. In February 2020, she gave a similar talk to the Scientific Exploration Society.[7]

Her career as a biologist focused mainly on marine turtles, and she won the Australian free diving championship while diving for her work.[8]

In June 2021, it was announced that Dench would be making a 3000miles, using a battery-powered adapted paramotor, to mark the COP26 UN climate conference.[9] The journey was to start in near Glasgow on 21 June and take approximately six weeks to complete.[10] July saw Dench flying above Cumbria before heading towards the coast of Wales, having received the support, amongst others, of actress Joanna Lumley.

On 20 September 2021, Dench was seriously injured in a crash in the Scottish Highlands, which was caused by two paramotors colliding. The pilot of the other aircraft, a cameraman, was killed.[11]

Following a long recovery period due to the extent of her injuries, in 2022 Dench began the Flight of Osprey Expedition.

Media

Dench's biology research and travel has been covered by the BBC, The Guardian and Radio 4.[12] [13] Her work has also been covered by National Geographic.[14]

Awards

Notes and References

  1. News: Odell . Michael . Sacha Dench: the woman who flies with swans. . en. 2020-12-02. 0140-0460 . subscription.
  2. Web site: 2020-10-10. "Human Swan" Sacha Dench sets record crossing the English Channel. 2020-12-02. Guinness World Records. en-GB.
  3. Web site: Sacha Dench in Round Britain Guinness World Record Climate Challenge by electric paramotor. 2020-12-02. HeraldScotland. en. .
  4. News: Turns. Anna. 2020-07-03. 'Human swan' to take flight on new mission to follow migrating ospreys. en-GB. The Guardian. 2020-12-02. 0261-3077.
  5. Web site: Nick. 2020-02-24. WEM19 Speaker Sacha Dench Appointed as UN Ambassador for Migratory Species. 2020-12-02. worldextrememedicine.com. en-GB.
  6. Web site: Sacha Dench Appointed as CMS Ambassador at COP13 Raptors. 2020-12-02. www.cms.int.
  7. Web site: SES Explorer Talk: Sacha Dench - The Human Swan. 2020-12-02. Eventbrite. en-gb.
  8. Web site: 2020-09-19. Flying with swans: Conservationist Sacha Dench. 2020-12-02. RNZ. en-nz.
  9. Web site: . 2021-06-18. 'Human swan' to make 3,000-mile UK flight to raise climate awareness. 2021-06-23. The Guardian. en.
  10. Web site: Howie. Michael. 2021-06-18. 'Human swan' set to fly around mainland Britain. 2021-06-23. www.standard.co.uk. en.
  11. News: Conservationist injured and cameraman killed in air crash. BBC News. 20 September 2021.
  12. Web site: SHACKLETON MEDAL // MEET SACHA DENCH . 2023-10-07 . Shackleton . en.
  13. Web site: British film stars lead support for first ever lone female expedition to save Europe's smallest swans . 2023-10-07 . Birding24/7 . en.
  14. Web site: @NatGeoUK . 2022-08-23 . Meet the adventurer: ‘human swan’ Sacha Dench on tracing bird migration paths from Siberia to South Africa . 2023-10-07 . National Geographic . en-gb.
  15. Web site: 2020-08-03 . WWT's Sacha Dench receives Britannia Trophy for Flight of the Swans . 2023-10-07 . WWT . en.
  16. Web site: Sparreboom . Vincent . 2015-12-22 . Champion Freediver and Conservationst Sacha Dench is going on a 7,242km Journey. . 2023-10-07 . Freedive Academy Panglao . en-US.
  17. Web site: Shackleton Medal 2023 For the Protection of the Polar Regions . 2023-10-07 . Shackleton . en.

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