Eugene Cussons obit

Conservation hero Eugene Cussons dies after a paramotor crash

Eugene Cussons, a popular conservationist, has died in a paramotor accident near Hartbeespoort Dam, leaving a lasting legacy. 

He was not on the list.

The conservation world is mourning the loss of Eugene Cussons, one of South Africa’s best-known wildlife protectors.

He died on 23 May after a paramotor accident near Hartbeespoort Dam. He was 47.

A family member is quoted in news reports as saying the accident occurred during an event at a new airfield near Hartbeespoort.

Grief spread across South Africa and beyond, because Cussons had spent decades fighting for animals that could not defend themselves.

WHO WAS EUGENE CUSSONS?

Eugene Cussons became known through Escape to Chimp Eden, the Animal Planet series that followed his rescue missions across Africa.

The programme first aired in 2008 and introduced viewers to the harsh realities of wildlife trafficking, illegal captivity and war-zone rescues.

Cussons served as managing director of Chimp Eden, the sanctuary linked to the Jane Goodall Institute in Mpumalanga. He worked as Rescue Director for the institute in South Africa, where he coordinated missions involving abused and abandoned chimpanzees.

His work often took him into unstable regions, including Angola and Sudan. There, he rescued primates from smugglers, conflict zones and illegal traders.

Those efforts later formed the basis of his book, Saving Chimpanzees: A Man on A Rescue Mission.

EUGENE CUSSONS’ CONTRIBUTION TO CONSERVATION

Cussons believed conservation needed both action and education. He founded Generation Now Africa, a youth initiative aimed at developing future conservation leaders across the continent.

He also launched The Eugene Cussons Podcast, where he discussed poaching, habitat destruction and environmental solutions. His approach connected younger audiences to conservation at a time when wildlife crime continues to threaten African biodiversity.

While Africa loses thousands of rhinos to poaching, South Africa has recently reported declines in poaching figures because of stronger enforcement and technology-driven monitoring.

Cussons pushed that technology further through Nirvana Africa, the aviation and powered paragliding company he founded.

The company supported anti-poaching patrols and aerial operations, particularly around rhino protection.

Nirvana Africa said it operated specialised paramotor missions alongside authorities in areas including the Kruger National Park.

A LEGACY THAT WILL OUTLIVE THE LOSS

Friends and relatives describe Cussons as deeply guided by faith, compassion and purpose. Yet many people will remember him for his calm presence in dangerous situations and his refusal to abandon vulnerable animals.

He leaves behind his family, as well as a conservation legacy that stretched from rescue centres to African skies.

In short, Eugene Cussons represented a conservationist willing to risk comfort, safety and even his life so humans and animals alike might have a future.

And while paramotoring remained one of his passions, it was his relentless protection of wildlife that defined his life.

He was also the host of Animal Planet's Escape to Chimp Eden, author of the book Saving Chimpanzees and was the executive director and Ambassador of the "Generation Now" movement.

Eugene Cussons was born in the Transvaal province of South Africa on 6 July 1979. For generations, the Cussons family has been deeply rooted in the African conservation ethic, and Eugene grew up with a special appreciation for African wildlife. He studied business management and economics at the University of Pretoria.