in June 2004 biologists Jay Michael Fay of the Wildlife Conservation Society
of the Wildlife Conservation Society
of the Wildlife Conservation Society left Pretoria South Africa on an aerial
left Pretoria South Africa on an aerial
left Pretoria South Africa on an aerial expedition that would eventually cover
expedition that would eventually cover
expedition that would eventually cover more than 60,000 miles as he Criss
more than 60,000 miles as he Criss
more than 60,000 miles as he Criss crossed the African landmass dubbed the
crossed the African landmass dubbed the
crossed the African landmass dubbed the mega flyover the six and a half month
mega flyover the six and a half month
mega flyover the six and a half month journey co-sponsored by the National
journey co-sponsored by the National
journey co-sponsored by the National Geographic Society was a survey of
Geographic Society was a survey of
Geographic Society was a survey of massive proportions covering a continent
massive proportions covering a continent
massive proportions covering a continent of diverse landscapes populations and
of diverse landscapes populations and
of diverse landscapes populations and wildlife I would say what motivates me
wildlife I would say what motivates me
wildlife I would say what motivates me is is just this inexplicable obsession
is is just this inexplicable obsession
is is just this inexplicable obsession with this problem of you know natural
with this problem of you know natural
with this problem of you know natural ecosystems throughout the world are are
ecosystems throughout the world are are
ecosystems throughout the world are are degrading at an incredible rate at an
degrading at an incredible rate at an
degrading at an incredible rate at an unprecedented rate and the human race is
unprecedented rate and the human race is
unprecedented rate and the human race is is gobbling up this planet at an
is gobbling up this planet at an
is gobbling up this planet at an unprecedented rate and you think you
unprecedented rate and you think you
unprecedented rate and you think you know we’ve got to reconcile those two
know we’ve got to reconcile those two
know we’ve got to reconcile those two things we can reconcile those two things
things we can reconcile those two things
things we can reconcile those two things the idea for the mega flyover came out
the idea for the mega flyover came out
the idea for the mega flyover came out of the WCS human footprint project which
of the WCS human footprint project which
of the WCS human footprint project which measured the impact of humankind on the
measured the impact of humankind on the
measured the impact of humankind on the environment by square kilometre mic face
environment by square kilometre mic face
environment by square kilometre mic face set out with pilot peter rag to focus on
set out with pilot peter rag to focus on
set out with pilot peter rag to focus on ecoregions areas of unique physical and
ecoregions areas of unique physical and
ecoregions areas of unique physical and climatic features with distinct plants
climatic features with distinct plants
climatic features with distinct plants and animals
and animals
and animals they wanted to see how ecoregions were
they wanted to see how ecoregions were
they wanted to see how ecoregions were being affected by people soaring over
being affected by people soaring over
being affected by people soaring over the African terrain at an altitude of
the African terrain at an altitude of
the African terrain at an altitude of around 500 feet
around 500 feet
around 500 feet they had a wide-angle view to see the
they had a wide-angle view to see the
they had a wide-angle view to see the detail of individual animals and people
detail of individual animals and people
detail of individual animals and people an array of digital equipment allowed
an array of digital equipment allowed
an array of digital equipment allowed him to record observations as the
him to record observations as the
him to record observations as the terrain below shifted from populous
terrain below shifted from populous
terrain below shifted from populous regions to wilderness attached to the
regions to wilderness attached to the
regions to wilderness attached to the plane was a high-resolution camera
plane was a high-resolution camera
plane was a high-resolution camera pointed straight down with snap pictures
pointed straight down with snap pictures
pointed straight down with snap pictures every 20 seconds
every 20 seconds
every 20 seconds photos show sprawling graveyards in
photos show sprawling graveyards in
photos show sprawling graveyards in South Africa a maze-like slum on the
South Africa a maze-like slum on the
South Africa a maze-like slum on the edge of Nairobi soil erosion and
edge of Nairobi soil erosion and
edge of Nairobi soil erosion and burgeoning wildlife populations and
burgeoning wildlife populations and
burgeoning wildlife populations and while Fay found many examples of
while Fay found many examples of
while Fay found many examples of overstressed ecoregions he remains
overstressed ecoregions he remains
overstressed ecoregions he remains optimistic about Africa and Africans
optimistic about Africa and Africans
optimistic about Africa and Africans ability to save their environment
ability to save their environment
ability to save their environment ultimately Fay hopes the massive
ultimately Fay hopes the massive
ultimately Fay hopes the massive quantity of data collected on the
quantity of data collected on the
quantity of data collected on the journey will serve to convince
journey will serve to convince
journey will serve to convince decision-makers in the US and other
decision-makers in the US and other
decision-makers in the US and other countries to include natural resource
countries to include natural resource
countries to include natural resource management in their foreign policy
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