The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust’s daring bid to fly with one of nature’s great migrations on a quest to save the Bewick’s Swans.

Sacha Dench set off on in September from Siberia, Russia travelling 7000Km across 11 countries by Paramotor to monitor the migration routes of the swans.

As a specialist in aviation insurance we were approached to provide the aviation liability risk cover for the team. Sacha flew by paramotor – paragliding with a propeller strapped to her back – to get as close as possible to flying as the swans do, hoping to shed light on the steady decline of the Bewick’s swans, whose numbers have halved in the last 20 years.

With the journey nearly complete it has taken them through Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium and France. The final home straight across the French coast to England will mean Sacha will become the first woman to successfully cross the English Channel by paramotor.

The final part of the journey will hopefully end following the Thames up stream finishing at WWT Slimbridge.

You can follow their flight online checking their live updates and tracking their flight here  

Who is the team?

Sacha Dench is the expedition leader having 4 years of paramotoring experience and 8 years paragliding. She is also a British national free-diving champion so endurance is key to her success.  She is surrounded by a bigger team consisting of camera crew, drone filmmakers, photographers, mechanics, engineers as well being accompanied in the air at different stages by Alexandra Bogdanov – Paramotorist, Rob Keen - Microlight Pilot and Stuart Savage - Paramotorist and Flight Manager

Why the ‘Flight of the Swans’ is so important

According to the WWT website, between 1995 and 2010 the numbers of swans making the migration from artic Russia to northern Europe plummeted by more than a third – from 29,000 to just 18,000.  Sacha and the team wanted to see for themselves just why swans are unable to survive the journey. With this first hand information and existing research they can contribute to life saving conservation action.

They have a 4 step plan

Step 1. Restore most wetlands and prevent further loss of Bewick’s habitats.
Step 2. Protect more sites used for feeding and for rest by migrating birds.  
Step 3. Ensure more power cables and wind turbines are safely positioned.  
Step 4. Reduce incidents of swans killed as a result of illegal hunting.  
 
To show your support you can:

Act by signing their petition to help save the Berwick’s swan

Donate by donating you are helping them with their four step plan

Shop All proceeds from sales go directly to help save the Bewick’s Swans