LEAP projects

The leopard is one of Africa’s most charismatic members of the cat family. Its beauty and elusive nature, combined with its profile as one of South Africa’s “Big Five”, have made it a favourite with tourists and hunters alike. The animal therefore has huge economic value due to its popularity within the tourist and hunting industries, as well as being an ecologically important predator at the top of the food chain in many ecosystems. The presence of leopards in an area is an indication of a healthy, well-functioning ecosystem. On the other hand, leopards are maligned by farmers whose livestock are slain with devastating economic repercussion. Understanding the intricate ecological and economic processes affecting the existence of leopards in South Africa will be fundamental to ensuring its future existence.

The subspecies (Panthera pardus pardus) is widespread throughout southern Africa occupying habitats from rainforest to desert. Although not currently considered threatened, concerns raised during the 2005 leopard Population Habitat Viability Assessment (PHVA 1.3 MB) workshop, were that leopard populations are smaller and more fragmented than previously thought, brought about by growth of human populations and associated impacts such as habitat loss, persecution and hunting. Another concern raised was that population estimations undertaken more than 20 years ago ranged between 2390 - 23 472 and leopard numbers and status remain little more than a guess.

Accurate knowledge of this species is sorely lacking, yet decision makers continue to pass judgment regarding the leopards’ future. In 2004 CITES proposed a doubling of South Africa’s annual leopard hunting quota from 75 to 150, based on little or no population information. Many organisations and countries, which opposed the CITES quota increase, urged South Africa to undertake leopard monitoring, research and population assessment as a matter of priority. The effect of this hunting quota increase on unknown leopard populations will no doubt have a devastating and irreversible effect on some of the already persecuted, vulnerable and fragmented leopard populations.

The underlying cause of virtually all recent and ongoing declines of mammal species is the growth of human populations and associated impacts such as habitat loss, persecution and hunting. It is therefore imperative to understand the population status and processes that have the potential to cause numbers to deteriorate and focus conservation efforts on those vulnerable populations which are in urgent need.

Leopard experts, researchers and interested parties in South Africa have come together in the newly formed South African Leopard Forum (SALF), in an effort to guide leopard conservation toward a common goal. SALF has identified the need to formulate and achieve conservation objectives, to adequately, protect the leopard. A Leopard conservation plan requires accurate data regarding status, densities, distribution, population dynamics and population decreases across a wide variety of habitats. Panthera pardus pardus is a flagship species for all endangered wildcat species. There is no room for complacency about the security of this species simply because it is not currently considered globally threatened.

Pre-emptive conservation is the maintenance and stability of particularly susceptible species before they become threatened. This method is arguably more cost-effective in the long term, as opposed to post decline attempts to rescue species on the brink of extinction.