A female cheetah took to the skies during a recent mission, marking a vital step forward for cheetah conservation in South Africa. Non-profit organisation, The Bateleurs, supporting the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), successfully relocated the big cat from Buffelsdrift Game Reserve in the Western Cape to Ukuzwana Game Reserve in Mpumalanga.
What would have been a gruelling 30-hour road journey was instead a smooth, stress-free 5.5-hour flight, thanks to Bateleurs’ volunteer pilot Nick Lincoln and his Beechcraft Baron G58. Forming part of the EWT Carnivore Range Expansion Project, the mission was expertly coordinated by EWT’s Cheetah Range Expansion Coordinator, Olivia Sievert.
This contributes towards the broader effort of establishing Mpumalanga’s second breeding population of cheetahs outside the Greater Kruger area, restoring the species to parts of its historic range.
Assisting Conservation Efforts from the Skies
This flight is the latest in more than 1,000 missions carried out by The Bateleurs, a South African non-profit aviation network dedicated to supporting environmental and conservation organisations. For the past 27 years, The Bateleurs have taken to the skies in defence of southern Africa’s natural heritage, assisting numerous conservationists, scientists, policymakers, and community leaders with aerial support.
Named after the iconic sub-Saharan eagle, The Bateleurs was founded in 1998 by Nora Kreher and legendary conservationist Dr Ian Player. Their very first mission – flying journalists and decision-makers over the eco sensitive dunes of Lake St Lucia in northern KZN – and this helped pave the way for the area’s transformation into iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Far-Reaching Mission Impact
Since then, their volunteer pilots, who range from commercial to recreational aviators, have flown missions across southern Africa. Their aircraft, from helicopters to light sport planes, have supported a vast range of conservation efforts, including:
· Wildlife rescues and relocations of species such as wild dogs, lions, vultures, turtles, African penguins, and oxpeckers
· Anti-poaching surveillance and rhino dehorning operations
· Aerial documentation of illegal mining and wetland encroachment
· Coastal and marine patrols tracking whales, seals, and penguins
· Cross-border conservation flights from South Africa into Mozambique and Malawi
Even during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Bateleurs remained active, transporting African lions, penguins, wild dogs, and even a fur seal. They flew aerial searches for entangled whales, tracked collared leopards, and gathered critical photographic evidence of illegal mining operations.
“I flew my first mission in 2005, and The Bateleurs gave me purpose in aviation,” said Donavan Bailey, Director and long-time volunteer pilot. “The people I’ve met on these missions are doing amazing work with extraordinarily little recognition. We’re privileged to support them.”
The cheetah’s safe arrival in Mpumalanga is not just a logistical success, it represents the power of collaboration in action. By combining conservation expertise with aviation passion, The Bateleurs and EWT are ensuring a future for one of Africa’s most iconic predators.
“Thousands of miles have been flown in the name of conservation,” said Steve McCurrach, General Manager/Director and volunteer pilot. “Some missions have crossed countries from South Africa into Mozambique and Malawi, while others cover shorter distances – it all depends on the request from the organisations and what needs to be achieved.”
Some of the mission success stories include:
· Aerial insight into dune devastation in Richards Bay, KZN
· Wetlands research flyovers uncovering farmland, forestry and the human footprint creep
· Wild dog repopulation into Gorongosa Game Reserve, Mozambique
· Aerial survey and tracking saved the wattled crane from extinction in KZN
· Relocation of the red bill oxpecker to take it off the Red List
· Highlighting environmental devastation caused by mining
· Aerial support for a Rhino IVF project for an international organisation
Bataleurs Impact by Numbers
· R70-million Contributed to Conservation since 1998
· 1,000 Missions across southern Africa
· + 200 Volunteer Pilots across South Africa
· +150 Conservation Organisations supported
· 27 Years in Operation
Call to Support the Bateleurs
Now entering their next chapter, The Bateleurs are calling on environmentally-minded pilots, corporate sponsors, and philanthropists to join their mission. With over 200 volunteer pilots, the organisation seeks to expand its reach and continue offering no-cost flights to conservationists across southern Africa.
Learn more about becoming a pilot or donor at: www.bateleurs.org