Sacha Dench
{{short description|Australian biologist, conservationist and adventurer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
Sacha Dench is an Australian biologist, conservationist and adventurer.{{Cite news |last=Odell |first=Michael |title=Sacha Dench: the woman who flies with swans|newspaper=The Times |language=en|url=https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/article/sacha-dench-the-woman-who-flies-with-swans-krd3d20vk |access-date=2020-12-02|issn=0140-0460 |url-access=subscription}} In 2016, she set a Guinness World Record as the first woman to cross the English Channel by paramotor.{{Cite web|date=2020-10-10|title="Human Swan" Sacha Dench sets record crossing the English Channel|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/book/2020/10/human-swan-sacha-dench-sets-record-crossing-the-english-channel-633921|access-date=2020-12-02|website=Guinness World Records|language=en-GB}} She is the recipient of the Britannia Trophy and winner of the Green Swan Award.{{Cite web|title=Sacha Dench in Round Britain Guinness World Record Climate Challenge by electric paramotor|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18898717.sacha-dench-round-britain-guinness-world-record-climate-challenge-electric-paramotor/|access-date=2020-12-02|website=HeraldScotland|language=en}}.
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.{{Cite news|last=Turns|first=Anna|date=2020-07-03|title='Human swan' to take flight on new mission to follow migrating ospreys|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/03/swans-ospreys-one-womans-soaring-migration-mission-aoe|access-date=2020-12-02|issn=0261-3077}}
She is the co-founder and CEO of Conservation Without Borders and, in 2020,{{Cite web|last=Nick|date=2020-02-24|title=WEM19 Speaker Sacha Dench Appointed as UN Ambassador for Migratory Species|url=https://worldextrememedicine.com/blog/2020/02/wem19-speaker-sacha-dench-appointed-as-un-ambassador-for-migratory-species/|access-date=2020-12-02|website=worldextrememedicine.com|language=en-GB}} became a UN Ambassador for Migratory Species.{{Cite web|title=Sacha Dench Appointed as CMS Ambassador at COP13 {{!}} Raptors|url=https://www.cms.int/raptors/en/news/sacha-dench-appointed-cms-ambassador-cop13|access-date=2020-12-02|website=www.cms.int}}
In October 2018, she gave a TED talk entitled "The Human Swan" about finding your own passion.{{Citation|last=Dench|first=Sacha|title=The human swan|url=https://www.ted.com/talks/sacha_dench_the_human_swan|language=en|access-date=2020-12-02}} In February 2020, she gave a similar talk to the Scientific Exploration Society.{{Cite web|title=SES Explorer Talk: Sacha Dench - The Human Swan|url=https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/61688287328?aff=efbneb|access-date=2020-12-02|website=Eventbrite|language=en-gb}}
Her career as a biologist focused mainly on marine turtles, and she won the Australian free diving championship while diving for her work.{{Cite web|date=2020-09-19|title=Flying with swans: Conservationist Sacha Dench|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2018764737/flying-with-swans-conservationist-sacha-dench|access-date=2020-12-02|website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}
In June 2021, it was announced that Dench would be making a {{convert|3000|mi|adj=on}}, using a battery-powered adapted paramotor, to mark the COP26 UN climate conference.{{Cite web|author=|date=2021-06-18|title='Human swan' to make 3,000-mile UK flight to raise climate awareness|url=http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jun/18/human-swan-to-make-3000-mile-uk-flight-to-raise-climate-awareness|access-date=2021-06-23|website=The Guardian|language=en}} The journey was to start in near Glasgow on 21 June and take approximately six weeks to complete.{{Cite web|last=Howie|first=Michael|date=2021-06-18|title='Human swan' set to fly around mainland Britain|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/human-swan-sacha-dench-glasgow-un-cop26-greta-thunberg-b941414.html|access-date=2021-06-23|website=www.standard.co.uk|language=en}} 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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-58615590|title=Conservationist injured and cameraman killed in air crash|work=BBC News|date=20 September 2021}}
Following a long recovery period due to the extent of her injuries, in 2022 Dench began the Flight of Osprey Expedition.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}
Media
Dench's biology research and travel has been covered by the BBC, The Guardian and Radio 4.{{Cite web |title=SHACKLETON MEDAL // MEET SACHA DENCH |url=https://shackleton.com/en-us/blogs/articles/shackleton-medal-meet-sacha-dench |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=Shackleton |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=British film stars lead support for first ever lone female expedition to save Europe's smallest swans |url=https://www.birding247.co.uk/british-film-stars-lead-support-for-first-ever-lone-female-expedition-to-save-europes-smallest-swans.html |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=Birding24/7 |language=en}} Her work has also been covered by National Geographic.{{Cite web |last=@NatGeoUK |date=2022-08-23 |title=Meet the adventurer: ‘human swan’ Sacha Dench on tracing bird migration paths from Siberia to South Africa |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2022/08/meet-the-adventurer-human-swan-sacha-dench-on-tracing-bird-migration-paths-from-siberia-to-south-africa |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=National Geographic |language=en-gb}}
Awards
- 2018 - Britannia Trophy for Flight of the Swans. Not received by a woman since 1967.{{Cite web |date=2020-08-03 |title=WWT's Sacha Dench receives Britannia Trophy for Flight of the Swans |url=https://www.wwt.org.uk/news-and-stories/news/wwts-sacha-dench-receives-britannia-trophy-from-hrh-prince-andrew |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=WWT |language=en}}
- 2001 - British National Depth record for freediving - World Freediving Championships.{{Cite web |last=Sparreboom |first=Vincent |date=2015-12-22 |title=Champion Freediver and Conservationst Sacha Dench is going on a 7,242km Journey. |url=https://www.freediveacademy.com/champion-freediver-conservationst-sacha-dench-7242km-journey/ |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=Freedive Academy Panglao |language=en-US}}
- 2023 - judging panel for 2023 Shackleton medal.{{Cite web |title=Shackleton Medal 2023 {{!}} For the Protection of the Polar Regions |url=https://shackleton.com/en-us/pages/shackleton-medal |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=Shackleton |language=en}}
References
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Category:Australian biologists
Category:Australian conservationists
Category:Australian women chief executives