Western Cape: Historic leopard sighting confirmed in West Coast National Park!

South African National Parks (SANParks) has confirmed a remarkable wildlife breakthrough: a leopard has been photographed in the West Coast National Park for the first time in 170 years. The sighting signals the species’ natural return to South Africa’s coastal landscapes after being extirpated from the region in the mid-1800s.

Located just north of Cape Town, the West Coast National Park is known for its striking coastal scenery, rich birdlife, spring wildflower displays, and the protected Langebaan Lagoon. The park forms an essential part of the region’s conservation network, connecting coastal, fynbos, and inland habitats that support a wide range of wildlife. 

The image, captured by a remote camera trap, confirms that this elusive predator has recolonised an area long believed beyond its range. The discovery is the result of a multi-year effort by the Landmark Leopard & Predator Project, SANParks, the University of the Western Cape, Saldanha Bay Municipality, and private landowners who have been monitoring leopard movements between Cape Town and the Berg River.

Conservationists credit this recovery to coordinated conservation work, growing protected areas like the West Coast National Park, improved environmental legislation, and increasing coexistence between local communities and wildlife.

Over the past two decades, partners have restored ecological corridors across the Western, Eastern, and Northern Cape, reconnecting fragmented habitats and allowing leopards to move more freely and safely. Supportive landowners and strong wildlife protection practices have also been key.

The return of the leopard to the West Coast National Park highlights the success of long-term conservation partnerships - and the importance of continued collaboration to ensure this iconic species thrives once again.

 

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Botswana: Leopard spotted near Sir Seretse Khama International Airport in Gaborone!

The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) in Botswana, operating under the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, has issued an urgent public advisory following the confirmed sighting of a leopard in the vicinity of Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE) in Gaborone, Botswana's capital city.
Sir Seretse Khama International Airport is located about 15 km north of Gaborone's city center, serving as the main gateway for international and domestic flights into Botswana. The surrounding area includes bushland and semi-rural spaces, making occasional wildlife encounters possible.

Authorities are urging residents, airport staff, and people working or living nearby to remain alert, avoid unnecessary movement in bushy areas, and never attempt to approach or provoke the animal, as leopards are dangerous predators capable of attacking without warning.

The DWNP, together with the Botswana Police Service, is actively monitoring the situation around the airport perimeter. Members of the public are encouraged to immediately report any leopard sightings or signs of the animal to the nearest Wildlife office by calling +267 396 0712/4, or contact the Botswana Police emergency line at 999.
This incident is a reminder that wildlife can occasionally roam near urban areas in Botswana, especially in regions close to natural habitats. The authorities stress the importance of maintaining a safe distance and reporting wildlife encounters promptly to ensure both public safety and the protection of the animal.

 

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Mozambique: Big cats are back in Zinave National Park!

A female and a male leopard have been introduced into Zinave National Park in the Inhambane Province of Mozambique. The two predators were initially introduced into the 18 600 ha sanctuary established within the National Park, but, as big cats do, they soon ventured further, exploring the surrounding habitat within the greater 408 000 ha protected area. The leopards, which were sourced from Karangani Game Reserve in south-western Mozambique, are the founder animals of what will hopefully become a significant leopard population for the region. The two leopards are being closely monitored by the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and the staff of Zinave National Park as they settle into the National Park. Tracking data seems to indicate (December 2020) that they are doing well and have already begun to establish new territories.

The extensive rewilding efforts in Zinave National Park, which was ravaged during the Mozambique civil war that ended in 1992 and subsequent poaching, form part of a larger restoration and development programme that has been accelerated under a 20-year co-management agreement signed in 2015 between Mozambique's National Administration for Conservation Areas (ANAC) and the Peace Parks Foundation. About 2 300 mammals from 14 species,  including 200 elephants in 2018 and a clan of four spotted hyenas in 2020 (they have already produced two cubs!), have been since been introduced into Zinave National Park, with wildlife numbers now flourishing to around 6 500 animals.

A nomad male lion has also been seen in Zinave National Park. According to the Peace Parks Foundation, a camera trap recently (December 2022) captured the first known image of a male lion in the National Park for several (four?) decades. The photographed lion is a young adult male estimated at between 4 to 5 years of age, which has probably settled in the Zinave National Park along with his female companion.

Zambia to lift ban on hunting leopards and lions!

Zambia is set to lift a 2013 ban on the hunting of wild lions and leopards in order to raise funds after it established that the population of the big cats in the country was higher than previously thought. According to Zambia's Minister of Tourism and Arts, Jean Kapata, leopard hunting resumes in the 2015/16 season (which begins in July 2015), while the lion huning will only resume in the 2016-17 hunting season.

Zambia in 2013 banned the hunting of lions and leopards, saying that the country is seeing more value in game viewing tourism than in trophy hunting and that big cat numbers in the country are too low to have a sustainable hunting industry.
According to a recent aerial survey done by the Ministry of Tourism and Arts, Zambia is currently home to an established number of 4,000 lions and to more than 8,000 leopards.

 Zambia bans hunting of lions and leopards >>

Malawi: Majete Wildlife Reserve reintroduced leopards into the park

Majete Wildlife Reserve, situated in Malawi’s lower Shire valley is well on its way to becoming a Big Five park, having undertaken a bold and inspiring wildlife reintroduction programme to restore the park to its former glory before human intervention.
The 70,000 hectare reserve has been a conservation success story since African Parks assumed management in 2003, with over 2 550 head of wildlife, including elephant, buffalo, sable and black rhino, introduced to the park over eight years costing over $2.4 million.
The plan to gradually introduce predators back into the park started in October 2011 with the introduction of 8 leopards re-located from the Kruger National Park in South Africa. The introduction of leopard is the penultimate step in the Majete restocking programme, which will culminate in the reintroduction of lion in 2012.
Until the launch of this project only one viable population of leopard existed in Malawi within the Nyika National Park. These leopards are the first to be introduced to Malawi across international borders, and the first leopards to make their home in Majete for nearly two decades.


View Majete Wildlife Reserve, Malawi in a larger map

Dorian Tilbury, Field Operations Manager, African Parks Majete commented: "Our mission is to restore, restock and rehabilitate Majete to the condition it was in before human impact.  A vital component of the natural system, leopards have been the first predator to be introduced because they have less of an impact on prey species than lion which is the other indigenous predator at Majete. To ensure all species flourish we had to get the timing right, leopards and lions often conflict with each other and if lions were brought in first it would have been more difficult for the leopards to establish themselves. Lions also eat more and it was necessary to allow the prey species numbers build up a little more before we introduced lions to ensure their survival"

Kelly White, Managing Director of the Malawi Travel Marketing Consortium commented: "The work African Parks is doing at Majete is set to have a phenomenal impact on tourism in Malawi, particularly for the safari industry. While Africa as a whole continues to open up other special interest areas for wildlife enthusiasts, the Big Five understandably remains the single biggest draw, so being able to provide a top-notch game experience will broaden the appeal and open up new markets for Malawi." (via Malawi Travel Marketing Consortium)

Wildlife video: A leopard in action!

Filmed in the Londolozi Private Game Reserve in the Sabi Sand Reserve (adjacent to the Kruger National Park), the video below shows how a leopard, who made a kill earlier, is trying to rearrange its prey in a tree to continue feeding. The tree, for some reasons, isn't the perfect one for such purpose and so the leopard has make use of all its skills to finally feed on the antilope. Kudos to Roho Ya Chui for the filming and sharing the video!

Kruger National Park: Leopard vs. Crocodile

Wildlife photographer Hal Brindley was photographing hippos at a Silolweni Dam in Kruger National Park in South Africa when he witnessed a leopard attacking and killing a young nile crocodile.



According to the photographer, this photo sequence is the only time such behavior has ever been documented.

sciencedaily.com: Why the leopard got its spots

Why do leopards have rosette shaped markings but tigers have stripes? Rudyard Kipling suggested that it was because the leopard moved to an environment "full of trees and bushes and stripy, speckly, patchy-blatchy shadows" but is there any truth in this just-so story?

Researchers at the University of Bristol investigated the flank markings of 35 species of wild cats to understand what drives the evolution of such beautiful and intriguing variation.  
More on Why the leopard got its spots!

Leopard seen on Chappies (Hout Bay)

According 790tv.co.za, a webchannel for Houtbay & Llandudno, this photo confirms previous sightings of a leopard living in the mountains above Hout Bay. The photo was sent in by P Pardus, one can clearly see the Sentinel in the background.

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