As usual, this space is going to be used for thanks.
So, Jan Coetzee, to you a big, big thank you from all of us for being such an outstanding member of The Bateleurs! Not only has Jan flown (with his wife Elzabe) in many a Bateleur Mission, but he has been the brains behind the computer and GPS inter-aircraft link-ups for the game counts for which The Bateleurs are beginning to get quite a reputation. Without Jan's dedicated work and organizational skills we would be a lot poorer. The last mission Jan and Elzabe organized and flew, together with Microlight pilots Peter Vosloo, Eugene du Preez and Eddie Viljoen, was to count crocodile at Lake Sibaya. Read all about it in this newsletter.

And then there is Craig McKenzie - quick to volunteer and dependable as a rock. You name the area and Craig knows it. Leaving a mission in his hands is a pleasure. Craig flew the Wild Dog Mission (also in this newsletter) and is going to fly the Marakele Mission recently put out to pilots to fly.

In April Bateleur directors were invited to SAC - Satellite Applications Centre - and spent a most rewarding afternoon learning about the work they do, as well as being given the opportunity to present our work. And the winner is .... conservation and the environment because SAC will help us on occasions when their expertise will be invaluable and enhance our efforts and results.

This year's AGM on the 6th of May was unspectacular but dealt with the business at hand.

Maybe next year we will have a get together again - or maybe even sooner if a good reason presents itself.

And finally, we wish our Squadron Leader, General Joe, good healing after his accident. Pilots should stay in the air and leave off-road biking for ground huggers!

Fly Safely
Nora Kreher
Lake Sibaya Nile Crocodile Survey - by Xander Combrink
Of the 23 species of crocodilians found throughout the world today, three species are present on the African continent, but only the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) has radiated into the southern African subcontinent and colonised rivers, lakes and estuaries on the eastern side of South Africa.  Due to commercial hunting and widespread eradication programmes in the first half of the ...Click here for more...
Venetia Wild Dogs Mission

The Bateleurs were contacted by Pat Fletcher of the Endangered Wildlife Trust and asked to assist in the tracking of two Wild Dogs, Backpack and AirStrip, the alpha female, who had gone missing in the Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve.

All efforts to track them on the ground had failed and EWT and WAG needed assistance in trying to pick up the radio signals from their collars.  This would be much easier if done from the air.  The reserve covers 34000 hectares around the Venetia Diamond Mine, which is between Alldays and Messina and it was feared that the two Wild Dogs had strayed onto a neighbouring farm.

A request for volunteer Bateleur pilots was sent out and , who responded, flew the mission on the 8th & 9th April 2003. Unfortunately the Wild Dogs were not found. However, the mission served to create awareness among the NGOs about The Bateleurs and possible ways we could help them in the future.

Gus Mills, the head of the Carnivore Conservation Group and Chairman of WAG-SA wrote, "On behalf of the EWT's Carnivore Conservation Group and the Wild Dog Advisory Group of South Africa (WAG) I would like to thank the Bateleur's for the timely and professional manner in which they responded to our request for help in locating the two radio-collared Venetia wild dogs that have disappeared.  It is wonderful when people willingly and unselfishly donate their time and valuable assets to a cause.  We very much appreciate the contribution that your organisation in general makes to conservation and in this instance specifically to the pilot, Good luck in your very useful work." (picture Colin Mead)

Crocodile Counting Mission: Lake Sibaya by Elzabe Coetzee
Four Bateleurs took off in their microlights from Microland Bapsfontein just before sunrise on Thursday 17th April. Overhead they reminded me of the description of a bateleur in one of the revised editions of Roberts' Birds of South Africa: "Its striking appearance and colouring at once attracts attention as it flies overhead, usually traveling fast across country rather than soaring in circles; usually silent; spends much of each day in direct flight (at 60 -80km/h) seldom flapping wings; seldom flies in wet weather." Not a bad analogy - except that that day the "traveling fast across country" didn't happen: a strong headwind forced them to turn back, de-rig and trailer to their destination - Mbazwane on the KwaZulu Natal North coast. Click here for more...
Satelite Application Centre and The Bateleurs
Nora and Sven Kreher recently briefed the RAF Association on the Bateleurs and keen interest was shown, in particular by the chairperson and other members. Geoff Quick, who is a renowned member of the imagery analysis environment and a member of the CSIR Satellite Applications Centre (or SAC as it is fondly known), offered to host a visit to SAC for the Directors of the Bateleurs. This visit took ...Click here for more...
ADVISOR - PETER BORCHERT

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peter Borchert is the publisher and editor-in-chief of the award-winning Africa Geographic and Africa – Birds & Birding magazines produced by Black Eagle Publishing of which he is managing director and a major shareholder. The company was founded in 1992 and the first issue of Africa – Environment & Wildlife (as Africa Geographic was then known) was published in May 1993. Two years later Africa – Birds & Birding made its appearance.

Peter’s abiding interest in wildlife, conservation and eco-tourism dates back to growing up in East London in the 1950s and 60s where he was able to get by with a minimum of attention to academic matters at Selborne College and to focus rather on the far more pleasurable pursuits of rugby, rowing and exploring the local rivers and coastline. Following a short and unsuccessful attempt at medicine at UCT he joined Old Mutual where he was head one of the marketing departments before migrating northwards to Anglo American in Johannesburg where he was publications officer for a number of years.

In 1980, Peter headed back to Cape Town to join Struik Publishers as a book editor. Some years later he was appointed managing director of the company’s flourishing general book division. His travels in this capacity took him to many parts of the world and he began to notice that almost everywhere he went he came across fine conservation magazines representing regional and country interests. Ironically, back in Africa - arguably the greatest repository of natural treasure in the world – there were no such magazines to champion the cause. To produce a magazine of world class to fill this niche became an obsession and recognising that he would have to leave his career in book publishing to realise this dream, he took the plunge.

Peter has four children and his elder daughter, Sarah, recently joined the company to be groomed as the future editor of Africa Geographic.

DR IAN PLAYER - RHODES UNIVERSITY GRADUATION ADDRESS

 

 

 

 

We are proud that our Patron, Ian Player, has been further honoured with the Doctor of Laws honoris causa Degree from Rhodes University and thought that our members and friends would be interested in reading his acceptance speech.
CLICK HERE 
THE BATELEUR'S GETS A NEW INTERNET ADDRESS

See our website on www.bateleurs.org and our new email address is info@bateleurs.org

Mapping and info offered by Satelite Application Centre

This is the type of info Satelite Applications Centre (SAC) can offer:
The South African National Land-Cover Database
Accurate, up-to-date information on land-cover and the state of the environment are critical components in environmental planning and management. Land-cover data of the Land-Cover Map Project are now available.  See more detail on the SAC website

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