Do the mountains around Calitzdorp really harbor leopards?
The frequency with which this question is put to the dedicated folk of the Cape Leopard Trust (CLT) is proof enough of how elusive and rare these animals are in our Klein Karoo of the 21st century.
Their answer is of course, “Yes, very much so!”
The Trust’s disguised camera- and camera-cage traps are set up in sites virtually inaccessible to humans in the Swartberg, Rooiberg and Gamkaberg mountains around Calitzdorp. In the short time since the project was launched in the Klein Karoo hundreds of photographs triggered by many different animal species have resulted in the identification of at least 24 different Cape leopards.
First leopard captured in Calitzdorp.
But the really exciting news is the capture of the first leopard after just a month of the project’s operation. A fully grown male weighing around 35 kg (average for a Cape leopard, who is only half the size of his Northern cousin) was caught on the Groenefontein Nature Reserve. He was darted and collared on site with a GPS tracking device in the presence of a veterinary surgeon – standard procedure to ensure no harm comes to the animal – to the delight of the project team and the thrill of Lyn and Allan of Calitzdorp Country House. The captured predator was previously photographed 25 kms away from the place of his capture, illustrating the wide range of his territory.
Monitoring collared leopards.
The Cape Leopard Trust uses trapping and tracking of subsequently collared leopards to study daily activities and the animal’s wide ranging habits. The results of all this data gathering and of a series of studies into genetics, habits and ranging, as well as estimates of population will make it easier for conservationists to develop a strategy which takes into consideration the manifold factors presently contributing to the Cape leopard’s endangered status.
Perhaps a chance for you to spot the Cape Leopard?
Visitors seeking Oudtshoorn or Calitzdorp holiday accommodation will certainly want to consider a trip to the Groenefontein Nature Reserve and the thrill of a possible sighting of this rare and beautiful creature.
For more information on the valuable work of the Cape Leopard Trust and how you can become a part of it, see www.capeleopard.org.za
