Clem Coetsee, once described by the WWF as a conservationist with ‘few, if any, superiors anywhere in Africa’, pioneered elephant and rhino’ translocation. Here, airborne in a tiny single engine helicopter piloted by his son, Vicus, he takes aim at the matriarch of a herd with a dart gun.

In 1993, after one of the worst droughts in Zimbabwe’s history, with the threat of a widespread elephant cull, the world’s first mass relocation of whole elephant herds began. Under the leadership of Clem Coetsee and Clive Stockil, hundreds of elephants were saved and moved from the Gonarezhou National Park to nearby Savé Valley Conservancy.

Elephant & rhino’ translocation pioneer, Clem Coetsee, in a helicopter piloted by his son, Vicus, hovers above a group of adult elephants as he prepares to begin darting.

Clem Coetsee and capture team attempt to subdue a sub-adult elephant who has been darted but, as yet, has not "gone down".

Team work is needed to push a sedated elephant onto its side after it has collapsed in a difficult position.

Supervised by Clem Coetsee, a large adult elephant, not yet completely immobilised by the M99 drug, is hobbled and falls to the ground. Once "down" a further dose of M99 will be injected into an ear vein.

Ingenuity is required to manoeuvre a sedated elephant into the "recovery" container. Ropes attached to the feet are used to bent the knees so that the animal can be drawn inside.