Munyawana Leopard Project
As one of the most adaptable cat species on the planet, leopards rarely attract much in the way of conservation concern, but that may be their undoing. In South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province, leopards are protected in reserves but often come into conflict with people when they range beyond park boundaries. They are destroyed by farmers because of the real and perceived threat they pose to livestock, they are targeted by commercial trophy hunters, and they are killed by poachers for traditional uses that range from ceremonial dress to folk medicine.
As leopard populations become increasingly fragmented, authorities are concerned about the number of leopards killed legally and illicitly. Our study aims to ensure that legal trophy hunting and problem animal control is biologically sustainable, and to reduce illegal persecution by improving livestock husbandry and curbing the trade in leopard skins. To achieve this, we work in close collaboration with partners that include Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife, hunting operators, local communities, private landowners, game farm associations and wildlife managers.
Contact us
email: leopards@monash.edu
fax: +27 (0) 866 956 006
mobile: +27 (0) 795 244 174
address:
Munyawana Leopard Project
PO BOX 610
Hluhluwe 3960
KZN, South Africa
|
Latest News
Follow CNN as they investigate what is being done by Panthera's MunYaWana Leopard Project to save South Africa's leopard population.
14 May 2012 06:17:57 PM
This morning, we found Tambama in False Bay park again. He now starts showing us some movement patterns up and down this strip-shaped reserve. 13 May 2012 04:17:33 PM
Jongozi was found off Bushwillow, he was located in the MunYaWana the night before. Zumba, on the other hand, was off Lomaro drainage line the previous day and travelled south to Mziki yesterday. We suspect he was chased south by Jongozi after I moved north. 12 May 2012 08:10:40 AM
The project received a visit from Dr Tom McCarthy, director of the snow leopard program within Panthera and we had a lot of excellent big cat sightings. We saw a pride of lions composed of two males, three lionesses and six cubs, walking around, drinking at a pan and feeding on a warthog kill. We also saw a female cheetah and her three very playful cubs. We obviously radio-tracked leopards, a managed to see Menzi twice, while he was resting with a full stomach after a big meal off North Link, and last night, in the woodland between Rat Road and Hyena Lane.
Web News Archive >>
Latest Newsletter
Issue 54 - August-October 2011
Register to receive the latest newsletter by email.
Newsletter Archive >>
Latest Publications
Biologist enters the fashion field in a bid to save wild leopards
All About Wildlife Jan 2011
Return of the Leopard
Africa Geographic Feb 2010
Rumble in the Jungle
Africa Geographic Feb 2010
Edge effects and the impact of non-protected areas in carnivore conservation
Animal Conservation 2010
|
