Events

FNB W2W route yields exciting discovery for Cape Leopard Trust

· By Press Office · 7 comments

A recent camera checking excursion to Pofadder, an infamous MTB structure on the FNB Wines2Whales (W2W) Mountain Bike (MTB) route, has left the coordinators of the Cape Leopard Trust (CLT) Boland Project really excited.

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Boland Female 18 Jade with cubs. // Photo credit: Cape Leopard Trust Boland Project.

“We are currently running a full camera survey in the Limietberg area,” said Jeannie Hayward of the CLT Boland Project. “As a result we needed to pull all of our monitoring cameras in other areas in order to have enough units for the survey. When we checked the cards of the Pofadder camera, we were greeted by a very special surprise, a photograph of twin cubs. We initially thought that the female on the photographs was Olive (Boland Female 14 / BF14), but as it turns out it was actually a new individual, now named Jade (Boland Female 18 / BF18)”.

“Photographs of female leopards are hard to come by as they tend to use the habitat differently compared to their male counterparts,” continues Hayward. “Photographing female leopards with cubs is an even rarer occurrence. The photographs were taken in August last year. The camera batteries died a few months later, so we’re not sure whether Jade and her cubs are still around or whether they have moved on. By now, however, the cubs should be old enough to start leaving mom and fending for themselves.

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Boland Female 18 Jade. // Photo credit: Cape Leopard Trust Boland Project.

Leopards are fiercely territorial and it is highly unlikely that a territorial female will tolerate another breeding female with cubs in her territory. The fact that we found Jade where we used to find Olive may mean that Olive has either died, or has slightly shifted her territory and is no longer utilising or defending this area of the Groenlandberg. The FNB W2W cameras not only help us to identify new individuals, but locations identified by the cameras aid us in forming a rough idea of each individual’s home range. The cameras have also captured other animals in action such as large-spotted genet, small grey mongoose, porcupine, grysbok, duiker, honey badger and caracal”.

The FNB W2W MTB Event has been a supporter of the CLT Boland Project since 2011 when it first donated five digital camera traps to the project. Placing these cameras along the FNB W2W MTB routes gives the Boland Project the opportunity to survey new locations within the study area, not only for leopard activity but also for the presence of other nocturnal and shy mammals.

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Comments

Shebeen

Apr 22, 2015, 10:43 AM

CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE, man!

Odinson

Apr 22, 2015, 10:55 AM

So awesome!

 

And to think that some farmers slaughter these beautiful creatures as they consider them "pests". 

velomonatiCT

Apr 22, 2015, 11:58 AM

so cool

Skubarra

Apr 22, 2015, 12:12 PM

Cool story. I wonder what they will find when they check the camera again in April 2016?

Godzilla

Apr 22, 2015, 1:29 PM

Cannot tell you what a great thrill this is to know that these guys are still out there and increasing their numbers ! So cool.

DJR

Apr 22, 2015, 4:46 PM

So awesome!

 

And to think that some farmers slaughter these beautiful creatures as they consider them "pests". 

Not in the Cape, not any more. Basically the Cape Leopard Trust have managed over the last decade or so, to convince just about the whole farming community from the Cederberg all the way to the Southern Cape, to leave the leopards alone. Sure, they still come to grief now and then with a crazy farmer here and there, but that is (wonderfully) now a rare occasion.

MyproDoll

Apr 22, 2015, 7:31 PM

Beautiful creatures. Such a feel good story!

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