The death of a British anti-poaching pilot whose helicopter was downed by elephant poachers in Tanzania is not surprising and a reflection of the brutal, ruthless industry, animal activists say.

Captain Roger Gower died on Friday and was thought to have been flying in the Maswa Game Reserve, located along the boundary of the Serengeti National Park.

Friedkin Conservation Fund chairman Dan Friedkin released a statement confirming Mr Gower's death.

"Roger was killed while piloting a helicopter during a coordinated effort with the Tanzanian wildlife authorities to track down and arrest active elephant poachers," Mr Friedkin said.

"The poachers fired upon the helicopter and Roger was fatally wounded."

World Animal Protection (WAP) said 53 rangers had died while trying to protect animals in 2015.

"While many would be shocked to see violence at this level, it is a sad reflection of a brutal industry that incidents like this, while uncommon, are not surprising," a spokeswoman told the ABC.

They said the International Ranger Federation 2015 honour roll of rangers who had died in service reported 21 deaths from homicide and 28 from other causes.

There were an additional four reported deaths where names and cause of death were not available.

Captain Roger Gower's downed helicopter. ( Facebook: Pascal Shelutete )

Head of Campaigns Nicola Beynon said the poaching industry was armed, ruthless and connected to organised crime.

"People at the top of the poaching wildlife industry are the most ruthless, they don't care about animals and they don't care about people," she told the ABC.

"They are often organised criminal gangs — the game is really horrific. It comes close behind the illicit drug trade and illegal arms trade. It's also funding organised criminal activity and terrorism."

Ms Beynon said elephants were a prime target for poachers in Africa chasing their ivory.

Friedkin aerial operations not previously attacked

Friedkin Conservation Fund director and fellow pilot Andy Payne told the ABC its aerial operations had not been fired upon before.

"This sad loss is indeed evidence of how far armed poachers are prepared to go in order to protect themselves when threatened with an active anti-poaching force," he said.

"It is however surprising given that we have operated aerial anti-poaching patrols for seven years now and have not been fired upon.

"We will continue the fight to protect Tanzania's wildlife and habitat in memory of Roger and the work he did."

Wildlife At Risk International (WAR) chief executive Marleen Le Febvre said the attack on anti-poachers had "reached a new low".

"We are in the middle of a war situation and the people at the frontlines are risking their lives every day while trying to protect elephants and other species from being wiped out," she told the ABC.

"This incident is a new low and has definitely crossed a new very sad and worrying line."

She said WAR hoped the newly-elected Tanzanian President John Magufuli would "leave no stone unturned" to get to the bottom of the "murder".

Tanzania's former minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Lazaro Nyalandu, said Mr Gower managed to land the helicopter, but died before rescuers could reach him.

Mr Gower previously worked for Tropic Air Kenya whose staff have posted a message to Facebook.

"We are shocked and immensely sad to hear the news that Roger Gower lost his life to a single gun shot wound fired by ivory poachers on Friday," it read. "Bye Bye Rog .. you will be greatly missed."

Ms Beynon said people like Mr Gower were brave and incredibly important to ending poaching.

"We're looking at extinction for elephants on the African continent within my lifetime," she said.

"I'm sure that's why Roger Gower did what he did and in his honour this horrific and brutal trade needs to come to an end."