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A quick Cheetah relocation becomes an all-day exercise

By Olivia Sievert – Project Coordinator: Cheetah Conservation Project

Cheetahs being relocated to Mabula Game Reserve

As a Field Officer, you learn to expect the unexpected! What was meant to be a quick two-hour cheetah relocation from one reserve to another turned into a full-day adventure, thanks to some persistent car troubles.

Now, most field staff are well-versed in the art of vehicle recovery and minor repairs, but these days I spend more time on tar roads than off-road tracks and, given my dislike for vehicle mechanics I have forgotten most of what I had once known. So imagine my surprise when, with two very awake cheetahs in the back, a reserve staff member waved me down to point out that part of the vehicle was hanging off where it really shouldn’t be! Thankfully, the brilliant Shambala team immediately had a bush mechanic’s fix in mind: “We’ll wire it together, just drive carefully”.

Still, before setting off, I had to send a few long voice notes to EWT Senior Conservation Manager Lourens Leeuwner, my ever-patient vehicle guru, for the all-important “yes, you’ll be fine” reassurance. Then, I was off again. With any relocation it is key to minimise the time the cheetah are in crates, especially with the heat we were experiencing that day, so this was a huge relief.

However, just when I thought we were in the clear at Mabula Game Reserve, the cheetah vehicle gave one last surprise: the back refused to open! Cue a new plan involving teamwork, heavy lifting, and careful crate manoeuvring. At last, the cheetahs were safely released, tucking into an impala meal as if nothing had happened.

After a quick check over from the Mabula mechanic, I limped back into Johannesburg, five hours later than expected, but grateful, safe, and reminded once again that fieldwork is all about teamwork. Huge thanks to the Shambala and Mabula teams for their quick thinking, muscle, and good humour. Without them, this relocation wouldn’t have been possible, and the cheetahs certainly agree!

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Celebrating Arbour Week at Madibatlou Middle School with Eskom and EWT

Ndzalama Chauke, Senior Field Officer – Wildlife and Infrastructure Unit

Blue Crane and vulture models used for bird conservation education

To celebrate Arbour Week, the Wildlife and Infrastructure team joined colleagues from Eskom at the Madibatlou Middle School in Olifantfontein, Gauteng, on 5 September, to speak about the importance of planting and conserving trees.

Wildlife and Infrastructure unit head Oscar Mohale and I also spoke to the school’s Grade 2 and 3 learners about birds and power lines, and what we, as the EWT, are doing to reduce the number of bird collisions with power lines. During these talks we showcased a vulture and a Blue Crane, as well as some of the devices we use to mark power lines.

I read a story to the children about Arbour Day so they could understand what this day is about and how, as people, we can conserve trees and, most importantly, plant trees.

After an art competition where the children coloured in pictures of birds, trees and people, the vegetable garden planted at the school earlier in the week was officially opened. The food grown in this garden will assist in feeding the children and the community.

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Running for Conservation: Rhino Peak Challenge 2025

Running for Conservation: Rhino Peak Challenge 2025 with the EWT

By Eleanor Momberg

Ambassadors hiking towards Rhino Peak in rain and mist

Saturday, 20 September 2025, will live long in the memories of those who partook in a variety of athletic challenges in support of conservation and rangers.

While four Soutpansberg rangers in the EWTs Savanna Conservation Landscape donned their uniforms to complete the 21km Game Rangers Association ranger challenge, the EWTs CEO, Yolan Friedmann participated in the 21km challenge at the Zuka Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal in support of rangers everywhere.

The Soutpansberg rangers, based at the EWTs Medike nature reserve, were accompanied by members of the recently formed Mideroni cricket team. Running on a cooler day at only 15 degrees Celsius was a welcome relief as members of the local community joined them to run stretches along the route as they cheered them on.

It was in the Maloti-Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site that the weather played havoc with the Endangered Wildlife Trust and Wildlife ACT ambassadors participating in the 10th annual Rhino Peak Challenge.

On Friday afternoon, when the 48 ambassadors running for conservation gathered on the balcony of the Drak Gooderson hotel in Underberg to prepare for the adventure that lay ahead, their view of Rhino Peak was clear. This challenge is the vision of Spurgeon Flemington, who has been driving the Rhino Peak Challenge since its inception.

It was the EWTs donor relations officer Tammy Baker’s seventh Rhino Peak Challenge, a second for Catherine Vise, and a first for her colleagues, Catherine Kuhn, Ian Little and Dave McCollough.

Spurg’s words during the pre-challenge briefing on Friday included “Watch out for snakes on the path, don’t get lost, it’s windy up there, and for safety reasons, I will be turning ambassadors back who haven’t summited by 11:30 am. If you haven’t reached the rhino horn by then, I’m really sorry.” Those remarks prompted a few more nervous glances being exchanged amongst the group.

As these remarks sank in amongst nervous participants, he added, “While you are all lying awake tonight, keep pushing for those funds. This is a fundraising event first and foremost.”

The Rhino Peak Challenge (RPC) is a conservation fundraiser aimed at raising funds for the EWT, Wildlife ACT and the Bearded Vulture Recovery Programme for the conservation of vultures, rhinos and cranes. In the past decade, more than R10 million has been raised through the RPC, with some R1.8 million being raised so far this year.

Shortly after the ambassadors gathered to set off in four groups of 12, ten minutes apart, the weather changed.

“As we’re about to start, the wind picked up significantly and the weather turned. We all looked nervously towards the peak where the conditions looked bleak with rain, wind, lightning and thunder raging over the mountain,” said Tammy. “Despite this, we set off, hitting the icy rain almost immediately.”

But there was no reaching the peak for the ambassadors as conditions deteriorated. Tammy says once she reached the seven-kilometre point, she started getting worried about the last 500m to the peak.

“It’s sheer rock and difficult enough on a dry day, never mind when it is wet, slippery and full of mud,” she said.

It was then that some of the sweepers started passing them on the way down, telling them it was “too dangerous” up there, that Spurg had “called it”, and that no one would make the peak this year.

Catherine Kuhn says: “The safety of the ambassadors came first, and it was indeed a good call. The rain made everyone freeze and soak to the core, and lightning in the Drakensberg is not something you take chances with. Being part of MCSA Mountain Rescue for 13 years, I could well appreciate, respect and understand the extremely difficult call the race organiser had to make”.

Although she knew it was the right safety call, Tammy pushed on to meet up with Spurg, who had been sitting further up the trail in cold and wet conditions for nearly two hours, turning ambassadors back.

On her way back to the finish line, Tammy says she “drank in the mountain with its pristine water and incredible scenery” before being welcomed across the line by Chris Kelly from Wildlife ACT and his team.

Despite the disappointment of not reaching the Rhino Peak on Saturday, Catherine Kuhn and two other ambassadors, Ben Bert and Dave Rose, decided to give it another go on Sunday morning.

“Starting at 5 am on Sunday, the weather was absolutely perfect. By 08:45, we had reached our goal and summited the Rhino! The view is unbelievable from up there. The hike is a tough one, and not one to be underestimated by any means,” says Catherine. “We had a flight to catch, so we had to Vooma down the mountain – we were all down safely by 11:00 am”.

Tammy says every year, when it’s about halfway into the challenge, she questions why she is doing this.

“But then, when it’s done and dusted, I say to myself that I can’t wait to do that again next year. That’s what the event does to you. It’s a life-changing experience. I think about the rhino peak every time I run. Once you’ve been there, it never leaves you”.

For those still wanting to donate to the Rhino Peak Challenge, please visit https://ewt.org/rhino-peak-challenge/

** The EWT would like to thank the Ford Wildlife Foundation for supporting our entire team of RPC ambassadors.

Soutpansberg rangers in uniform running the 21km ranger challenge

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Conservation, Cricket and Youth Development

By Joseph Razwinani, Medike Nature Reserve and Hospitality Manager

Community upliftment through cricket and conservation at Medike Nature Reserve

Left: Joseph addressing members of the local leadership, community and future cricketers. Right: cricket beneficiaries

At the end of August, a significant cricket development initiative was officially launched for underprivileged rural communities located adjacent to the Medike nature reserve.

This landmark programme is a collaborative effort between Cricket South Africa (CSA), the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), and the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Medike Nature Reserve. The initiative directly helps to reduce poverty, develop skills, and empower young people. This fits well with the EWT community outreach programme and government aims for service delivery, social unity, and giving youth valuable job skills.

The core objectives extend beyond cricket. It also aims to link sports development with conservation, eco-tourism, and broader community upliftment. Beyond job skills, it tackles unemployment directly and offers ways to avoid social problems like substance abuse and crime, while we get to expose the youth to an alternate, healthy environment on Medike.

Cricket SA has established 70 hubs countrywide, and one of its hubs is in the three villages adjoining the Medike nature reserve—Midoroni, Maebani, and Tshikhwarani. CSA has committed R630,000 in stipends for the EWT hub over a six-month period. Each of the 75 beneficiaries, who are unemployed youth between the ages of 18 and 35, receives a monthly stipend of R1,400.00.

The beneficiaries will be trained in umpiring and scoring alongside additional skills like administration, computer literacy, electronic reporting, payroll management, event organisation, and problem-solving.

The EWT and CSA will continue identifying training needs for beneficiaries and educate them about the importance and value of the biodiversity in the Soutpansberg region.

Interestingly, three beneficiaries, Andani Mahanelo, Dungelo Maliaga and Portia Maliaga, who had earlier been trained by PIC as Health and Safety representatives, have been absorbed into the cricket initiative as first aiders, helping to develop their skills as they give back to the local community. Another five beneficiaries who have shown an interest in eco-tourism joined Catherine Vise, Soutpansberg Protected Area manager, on a training hike during the weekend.

During the launch, the EWT highlighted the significance of linking cricket and the youth with conservation, positioning the initiative as a unique model for rural development.

The local ward councillor, Ishmael Madimabi, commended the programme’s potential in combating unemployment and substance abuse among young people. He also acknowledged the role of the EWT in attracting partners such as CSA to uplift local communities, and pledged his support to work with Medike Nature Reserve to improve the access road to the reserve to further enhance tourism potential. Traditional leaders endorsed the initiative and committed to overseeing its implementation at the village level.

CSA has undertaken to build modern cricket facilities at Midoroni village next year. This will allow them to host inter-provincial matches, which will bring visitors and help expand the local tourism economy. CSA aims to take on 450 beneficiaries from across the country to become trainers for new participants in this programme. This will create lasting jobs and ensure the continued use of the skills learnt.

This all-round approach, which relies on strong teamwork between CSA, local traditional leaders and the EWT, uses sport development not just for fun; it is a powerful way to improve the communities economically while conserving the environment, making it a unique model for transforming rural areas.

Conservation and youth development project linking cricket with biodiversity education

Cricket Initiative Group

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First Conservation Servitude Wholly Initiated by the EWT Registered in the Northern Cape

By Zanne Brink, Drylands Strategic Conservation Landscape Manager

Northern Cape biodiversity conservation through Lokenburg Conservation Servitude

The first Conservation Servitude initiated by the Endangered Wildlife Trust has been registered in the Northern Cape.

The registration of the Lokenburg Conservation Servitude is to ensure the long-term protection of, particularly the Speckled Dwarf Tortoise, its habitat and the associated biodiversity on a farm that has been occupied by the same family for six generations.

The protection of dwarf tortoises is critical, especially because they occur in very specific habitat types along the West Coast of South Africa, inland to Namakwaland, and while this is a large area, they actually only occur in a few tiny remnant patches of critical habitat.

Lokenburg is situated in the district of Nieuwoudtville, widely known for its unique vegetation and springtime floral splendour. The farm is unique in two respects. It was the first farm in the area to receive Title Deeds in 1774, and it is the only farm to host a dwelling built by each one of the six generations that have lived on the property. Situated in the Bokkeveld, an area previously known for its large Springbok population, the working farm boasts a large variety of plant species. The owners, Nelmarie and Herman Nel, farm sheep, cattle, and rooibos tea.

It is a farm with a rich history, with numerous explorers traversing the area and documenting the rich soils and the associated fauna and flora since the mid-1700s. The late Francois Jacobus van der Merwe (the owners’ great-grandfather) was the only one of the four van der Merwe children whose land has remained intact for his descendants. This favoured the family and ensured that the land has been occupied by the same family for six generations, all of whom have always prioritised the conservation and preservation of their area because of their love of the land.

Lokenburg is situated in the winter rainfall region and lies in the transition zone between the Fynbos and Succulent Karoo Biomes. This makes the farm remarkable from a botanical point of view as it is also straddled by no less than four Bioregions: the North-West Fynbos Bioregion, the Western Fynbos-Renosterveld Bioregion, the Karoo Renosterveld Bioregion and the Trans-escarpment Succulent Bioregion.

Succulent Karoo Biome biodiversity at Lokenburg Conservation Servitude

The Succulent Karoo Biome, which boasts the richest abundance of succulent flora on earth, is one of only two arid zones that have been declared Biodiversity Hotspots. The biome is home to over 6,000 plant species, 40% of which are endemic, and another 936 (17%) are listed as Threatened. This biodiversity is due to massive speciation of an arid-adapted biota in response to unique climatic conditions and high environmental heterogeneity. Lokenburg lies on the eastern edge of the Succulent Karoo Biome, within the Hantam-Tankwa-Roggeveld Subregion.

A working farm, it boasts a variety of plant species, including Iris and Ixia, as well as five springs that support the owners, Nelmarie and Herman Nel and their son, Eduard, who farm sustainably with sheep, cattle, and rooibos tea. A more recent addition to their farming practices has been an entrance to the essential oil industry as a result of their great passion for the medicinal value of our indigenous flora. In 2023, the owners became members of the South African Essential Oil Producers and offer products in support of indigenous essential oils, some of which are produced on the farm, such as Lavandin. Their vision is to further expand the essential oil enterprise to make it sustainable and economically viable for the benefit of the community and environment.

Over the years, the family has aimed to preserve their land for future generations through sustainable farming practices alongside the preservation of the rich biodiversity found on their land. This has been enabled through the implementation of a Biodiversity Servitude, which ensures that the owners are not just farmers but also stewards of conservation. Through this, they can make a positive contribution to the community, economy, and environment through this step.

Sustainable farming and biodiversity protection at Lokenburg farm

Left: Lokenburg Lavender Harvest.

This Servitude has been registered across the Lokenburg farm. Specific conservation management areas have been designated within this area—a collaboration between the landowners and the EWT—and where targeted management actions and development restrictions will be in place. Additional, species-focused, conservation actions will also take place across the broader landscape and include management of the Pied Crow (Corvus albus) populations in the area, which are unnaturally high and, through excessive predation, are driving the tortoise populations to extinction.

The primary strategic management taken for the Servitude has been encapsulated in the Lokenburg Biodiversity Management Plan (LBMP). This plan also informs the need for specific conservation actions and operational procedures, providing for capacity building, future thinking, and continuity of management, enabling the management of the Servitude in a manner that values the purpose for which it has been established. Additionally, it ensures, through collaboration, that no detrimental forms of development or agricultural activities, will take place within the designated focal areas. Key to the management plan is the conservation and protection of Chelonians (includes all tortoise and terrapin species). These are one of the most imperilled vertebrate groups, with over 60% of the world’s 357 known species threatened with extinction. Nine of the 13 southern African tortoise species are found in the arid Karoo region where they face multiple threats, including habitat loss and degradation, predation, illegal collection and in fire-prone habits, uncontrolled fires.

This farms rich biodiversity sustains numerous other Species of Conservation Concern (SoCC) including numerous classified as Threatened in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Among these are a number of bird and plant species, such as the Non-Threatened Tent Tortoise (Psammobates tentorius) and Karoo Korhaan (Eupodotis vigorsii), and Vulnerable Species such as the Secretary bird (Sagittarius serpentarius), Southern Black Korhaan (Afrotis afra) and Verreaux’s Eagle (Aquila verreauxii), as well as the Endangered Ludwig’s Bustard (Neotis ludwigii) and Martial Eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus).

As stewards of our land, we work together to ensure long term sustainable agricultural conservation to the benefit of humans and species. We look forward to our path together to conserve ecosystems and landscapes.

EWT and Nel family collaboration for Lokenburg Conservation Servitude

Top left: Lokenburg Family

** The EWT’s work to secure the registration of the Lokenburg Conservation Servitude was made possible by IUCN NL, the Ford Wildlife Foundation and the Nel family.

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Wings and Wind: Tracking Birds to Guide Safer Wind Energy Development in Mpumalanga

By Matt Pretorius, Project Manager Wildlife & Infrastructure

Mpumalanga Province is emerging as a key area for wind energy development in South Africa.

As the country accelerates its shift towards renewable energy and gradually moves away from coal, the demand for suitable locations to build new wind farms is growing rapidly. However, some of the areas with the best wind resources in Mpumalanga are also home to threatened bird species that are prone to collisions with wind turbines.

South Africa’s energy system is under pressure. Many coal-fired power stations are old and due to be decommissioned, while past delays in the completion at large-scale power projects like Kusile and Medupi made it difficult to meet rising electricity demand. Although load-shedding has become less frequent, the need for alternative energy sources remains urgent. With other wind-rich areas reaching grid capacity, developers are now turning to Mpumalanga for new opportunities.

At the same time, conservationists have raised concerns about the impact of wind turbines on birds. Some species are particularly vulnerable to collisions with turbines, as highlighted in the recent ‘Summary of Bird Monitoring Reports from Operational Wind Energy Facilities in South Africa’ by BirdLife South Africa. Some of these species of conservation concern in Mpumalanga are endemic to the region and are listed in the 2025 Regional Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Kingdom of Eswatini (Red Data Book – BirdLife South Africa).

To address this issue, the Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs (DARDLEA) appointed the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) in 2024 to undertake the Mpumalanga Bird Flyways Research Project. This collaborative initiative, led by DARDLEA, also involves the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) and Birdlife South Africa (BLSA). The aim of the partnership is to gather essential data on bird movements to understand the flyways and flight patterns of birds of conservation concern in Mpumalanga in order to ensure informed decision making with regards to renewable energy projects in the province—in particular wind energy facilities.

The project involves fitting lightweight GPS tracking devices to 12 priority bird species that are particularly susceptible to colliding with wind turbines. These include Greater and Lesser Flamingos, Martial Eagle, Cape Vulture, Jackal Buzzard, Grey Crowned Crane, Blue Crane, Wattled Crane, Blue Korhaan, White-bellied Korhaan, Denham’s Bustard, and Secretary Bird. Notably, three of these species—the Blue Korhaan, White-bellied Korhaan, and Denham’s Bustard—have never been tracked before, and several others have not yet been tracked in Mpumalanga.

Since the project began in September 2024, 15 birds have been fitted with GPS tags, including seven Jackal Buzzards, four Greater Flamingos, two Blue Korhaans, and a Cape Vulture. These devices are already providing valuable insights into bird behaviour, revealing not only where species move, feed, and breed, but also bird flight path patterns indicating heights and patterns that these birds are following when in flight. Some species, such as Blue Korhaans, appear to remain within small home ranges, while others, such as Flamingos and Buzzards, travel widely between provinces.

These data will be used to map regular flyways and flight paths, as well as home ranges, and be used to develop detailed species-specific sensitivity models. These tools may also help decision-makers and developers avoid high-risk areas when planning new wind energy projects.

Some mitigation strategies are already being explored, such as Shutdown-on-Demand (SDOD) systems that temporarily stop turbines when birds are detected nearby. However, these systems have limitations. For example, many Flamingos fly mainly at night, and most existing SDOD systems are not capable of identifying nocturnal flights.

The Mpumalanga Bird Flyways Research Project is a groundbreaking initiative as it is the first state-funded project of its kind in South Africa. Hopefully it will serve as a model for other provinces to follow. By combining scientific research with conservation planning, the project is helping to ensure that the country’s renewable energy future does not come at the cost of its rich and irreplaceable birdlife.

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