TROUBLE IS A CROCODILE

As I applied full power to commence my takeoff run, the slow and sluggish response of the airplane served as a reminder that the Piper Cherokee 6 was loaded to its maximum weight capacity. The struggle between lift and gravity was, to my great relief, won by lift. The tyre noise fell silent and we climbed away, leaving behind the wet runway at Chimoio, Mozambique.

A 17-year civil war in Mozambique has left the wildlife virtually eradicated. Massive herds of grazers that once roamed these plains were hunted to near extinction in order to feed the warring factions.

We had removed the four passenger seats in the rear of the Piper to make room for our precious cargo: 202 grunter crocodiles (around 400mm long), originating from Lake Chicamba. They were packed in special paper cardboard boxes with breathing holes. The final destination for some would be Kruger National Park. Others would return to Mozambique as part of a new gene-pool study.

But first I had to pilot this ‘ Boeing’ (named the ‘farmer’s Boeing’ due to its toughness and workhorse ability) to Johannesburg International Airport. There my cargo and I had to pass through immigration and customs. From Johannesburg,