Cape Mountain Leopard found on Karukareb in the Cedarberg, Western Cape
Another Cape Mountain Leopard has been captured, collared and released as part of this exciting monitoring and conservation project which is being run by the Cape Leopard Trust.
The Cape Leopard Trust aims to facilitate conservation of the Cape Mountain leopard through simultaneously implementing conservation strategies, research projects and tourism. In the past the Cape Mountain leopard’s has proved highly resilient
However the leopard has suffered extensive range loss in the Western Cape and is now extinct in many areas of the province. Today, the long-term survival of Cape Mountain leopard populations pivots on their densities within protected areas such as the Cedarberg Wilderness Reserve. It is believed that there are many of this elusive predator in the Cedarberg mountains but as they are so shy, signs of them are rarely found, let alone sightings. Reliable population estimates of the leopards are essential for effective conservation management and so the Trust aims to collar 12 leopards and keep track of their movements.
So far, the Trust has captured four leopards starting in February 2006. One was found on Bushmanskloof Wilderness Reserve and now the fourth on Karukareb Wilderness Reserve.
This fourth cat is a stunning adult male, weighing 32kg, which is a typical size for a Cape Mountain leopard.
The trap was set on Tuesday, using no bait, in a prime leopard area high in the mountains above Karukareb Lodge. On Thursday, after a brilliant and exciting leopard tracking flight with Johan Ferreira, Quinton Martins, the Project Manager of the Cape Leopard Trust went to check a camera in the area where the cage was set up. He was horrified to discover that a female leopard had walked into the trap and managed to jump out before the doors had closed. The females have so far eluded the study. On Friday morning Quinton was out walking/monitoring on a nearby farm when he was summoned ” Daar is ‘n luiperd in die hok!” ( There’s a leopard in the cage).
As Quinton said “The sensation, after all the effort put into this project, to get this result was indescribable. I called our vet, Dr Andre van der Merwe for his assistance. He raced out to Karukareb with me. The darting & collaring procedure went exceptionally well. It was a great day.”
The leopard recovered quickly and was on his way.