Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 1:47 pm Post subject: Leopard in KwaZulu-Natal
Clients of ours saw a leopard today in the Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park -- Yay
Haven't seen one for some time and there is certainly no guarantee that
even on a 4 or 5 night visit, that this elusive cat will be sighted
anywhere, roaming free within KwaZulu-Natal.
So sad then, to read Tony Carnie's, front page of the Mercury article this
morning. Here one fellow has amassed some 150 leopard skins from possibly
within KwaZulu-Natal Province over the past few years. That is
devastating. That is just one person, there are then the annual permits
issued to hunt leopard and the "permission to destroy" a problem leopard
permits, then other poachers, accidents? This over and above the survival
problem the animals have with habitat degradation, disease, competition
mortalities caused by other predators and so on.
We have some of the finest protected areas in South Africa with incredible
biodiversity. So many of our protected areas claim to be Big 5 Game
Reserves. I am afraid we are not presenting the true picture here. Too
many of our clients have been disappointed at the end of their holidays in
KwaZulu-Natal, due to not seeing all of these high profile animals,
invariably, it is the leopard that is missing from the list. Certainly
there are arguments against prioritising the Big 5, but tell that to a
foreign visitor, who will for sure be asked if he saw them all, on his
return to his friends and family. This "Brag line" is now too well
entrenched in the wildlife industry worldwide.
There is a very different story for the Kruger Park area and especially
within the Sabi Sand Game reserve properties. I was there last week and
within a few days had seen 8 different leopard and many of them more than
once - and close. The Big Five on virtually every game drive and certainly
every day on the two drives. I confidently send clients to that area knowing that they
should return home smiling.
This could be the case here in KwaZulu-Natal as well -
we need this province's authorities to turn this carnage of these
protected species around. We do have leopard, but generally their ranges
exceed the size of the protected areas in which they occur and extend into
areas where they can be baited, shot or trapped. With immediate effect,
hunting permits should no longer be issued and then the long hard battle
vs the poachers should begin in ernest.
Restrict the wearing of genuine leopard hide to Royalty and or those truly
entitled to do so by rank. This hierarchy should determine and permit only
those entitled to the privilege, to wear leopard skin - what a difference
that would make. Take the 150 odd skins seized (as per Tony Carnie's
report) have them properly cured and treated and stored by Ezemvelo KZN
Wildlife for diligent sale to this Zulu elite. The value and significance
of this badge of rank has been severely downgraded, what with even some
cultural villages having their dancers thus attired! Capital should be
made of this tragedy, Provincial coffers topped up from what should be a
substantial return from these remains of the poached Leopard. Add value to
the pelt, so that those entitled to were it may do so with pride, knowing
that it had been sourced legally and cost a great deal of money.
In turn the leopard population could increase in numbers and those that
have become habituated to vehicular traffic, regularly seen. It's not too
late but nearly so. Help to make KZN truly a Big 5 destination.
Any ideas or insights? Should you wish to comment please send mail to
tournet@webpro.co.za
Regards
Jeremy Williamson
Last edited by Postmaster on Sat Aug 15, 2009 6:24 pm; edited 2 times in total
Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 2:52 pm Post subject: LEOPARDS
It is shocking to hear, that a single person can kill so many leopards and gets away scott free. Tradition ther - its education. But I give also the courts to blame, as after he got charged with killing 48 leopards - he only got a suspended sentence. That is promotion of killing rare animals. Tradition is very good, but protection is better.
From WESSA (Wildlife and Environment Society of S.A.) I can only back what has been said by Jeremy.
Leopard skins if they MUST be worn should only be available through KZN Wildlife and no more hunting permits should be issued until such time as we can be assured scientifically that the populations have increased to the level that they are self sustaining in this Province and I personally would need a lot of proof in this regard.
Yes my suggestion is for the authorities to skin the hides of the poachers of our wild life and put them on sale, rather than the Leopard skins. They will only need to skin a few and this terrible scourge of poaching will become a distant memory as the message is passed down the ranks to the poachers, who obviously will want to save their own skins.
Either that or authorise the wild life protection services to shoot the poachers on sight. Personally though, I prefer the first option as a lesson to these crooks.
Nice to see emotions high & lots of talk, but that's all it is ... talk.
Why don't you guys in KZN do something about the problem instead of just mouthing off.
Yip that is what this whole discussion is for - to do something - but we do need help! as well as to let folk know what is happening. You have a problem with Leopard in the Cape and are doing some wonderful studies, monitoring, education and action. Great!
This is quite a sensitive issue here, but enough, we now have to stop the rot and patronisation. I wish I could invite the King of the Zulu peoples, to a discussion on this and to have his opinion. Now that would be the way to go, we need direction from him.
Without embracing direction from the people who live here we would start "swimming upstream"
This is a serious issue and we value your and all other input.
TourNet goes out to quite a few folk in the industry and to concerned people, even internationaly, also on our Facebook page, so if we could use this forum to design a way forward, I would be happy to have someone Champion this cause and take it forward.
Here is a chance to make good of bad, bad.
Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 6:13 pm Post subject: Leopards, Kruger Park
Good Evening Jeremy,
We would love to know where about did you see the big 5 and all the
leopards in the Kruger Park. We regularly get clients that ask which is
the best way and where you see the most? Round about what times did you
see the Leopards?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Kind Regards
Roxane
Sanyati Nature farm
Last edited by Postmaster on Sat Aug 15, 2009 6:14 pm; edited 1 time in total
Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 6:14 pm Post subject: Leopards, Kruger Park
Hi Roxane
On this last visit to the Sabi Sand area - open and adjacent to the Kruger
National Park - I visited 4 Lodge venues. Lion Sands - Londolozi -
Savanna Private Game Reserves and Inyati Game Lodge. The game viewing was
of an incredibly high standard with seriously good close viewing of a wide
variety of wildlife.
I have had very similar experiences previously at most of the Sabi Sand
venues such as Mala Mala, Singita, Leopard Hills, Chitwa Chitwa, Arathusa,
Kirkmans Kamp, Dulini and Exeter River Lodges - its not all about the
bathrooms and facilities there - its the leopard viewing that has raised
this area to arguably the finest in the world for viewing Africa's
wildlife. BTW. Quite a range of tariffs amongst that lot.
We could have this here to - with the cattle etc farmers opting for game
instead and consolidation their farms into vast Conservation areas we have
the potential here in KwaZulu-Natal to rival the Sabi Sand / Timbavati /
Kruger Park areas. Not only compete favourably, but with the better game
viewing in my opinion, of general game we experience here, the area could
even superseed the experiences had at the venues to the north. Ezemvelo
KZN Wildlife's initiative for expanding and safeguarding the Black Rhino
is an incredible projest, restocking and uplifting a number of reserves -
shades of their White Rhino successes. Accolades to the land owners
driving this and pursuasion to those yet to join this benefit.
Sort the Leopard problem out and within 10 years, the area from Empangeni
north, could be one of the finest in the World for a vast diversity of
wildlife. A bonus, as the farms consolidate further north west in the
Province, is the increase in altitude through to KZN Wildife's Ithala Game
Reserve, where highveld animals are found, giving a wide range of species.
One also needs take note of the efforts in the Eastern Cape - Greater Addo
area - we need to be ahead in that race but support their efforts - South
Africa has the potential to supersede all other African countries for the
best of wildlife experiences.
Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 6:17 pm Post subject: Leopards
There are more Leopards in KZN than one may expect!
The KZN Wildlife Honorary Officers have undertaken a Leopard identification survey in the Hluhluwe / Mkuze districts in an attempt to quantify the number of Leopards in this area. This project makes use of photographs to identify the individual animals, so the projected figures are of actual living animals photographed and identified. Recently the project area was expanded to include the Pongola / Magudu areas (where many Leopards have been introduced over the past few years) as traditionally the highest concentration of Leopards in the province occur between Empangeni in the south and Pongola in the north. It would be great to extend this project province wide in order to achieve some sort of Leopard population estimate, as these animals are so elusive and difficult to count. Without this basic data, nobody knows if these animals are increasing or decreasing. We can only speculate.
More regular sightings of these animals outside of the Zululand region are also on the increase however there is no scientific proof to back up this argument at present. Unfortunately, the poaching incident that you mentioned undoubtedly has had a major effect on the Leopard population and it saddens me to see that poison is still be used to kill these magnificent animals as was the case recently in the Vryheid area.
I work with a community in the Hlabisa area adjoining Hluhluwe Game Reserve and know how frustrated these people are with the Leopards that kill their livestock in this area and I know of cases where they have taken the law into their own hands and destroyed these animals. In many instances, illegal methods to kill these animals are used.
Leopards have always been the ultimate predator and a survivor that has somehow managed to outwit man. Many of these animals literally live in peoples gardens without them knowing as has been the case even around the outskirts of Johannesburg. People have reported their dogs and cats have gone missing and the puzzle is only resolved when Leopard sightings in the area become more common public knowledge.
I do not have the answers on how to resolve this age-old conflict between man and beast but with an expanding human population and habitat destruction, the situation will only get worse. Another aggravating circumstance is the amount of game farms that have been successfully claimed by land claimants and the game removed, only to revert back to pastoral lands for domestic stock and in some instances low density residential housing. This affects the amount of habitat available to the Leopards and minimises any possible range expansion.
I will also hasten to add that some game ranchers do not take favourably to having Leopards kill their game although this is what nature always intended. If Leopards are persecuted for killing livestock and killing game, what are they expected to eat? No vegetarian Leopards have yet been identified.
In 2007, one Leopard was hunted on license and in 2008; two Leopards were hunted on license in KZN. Leopard hunting is strictly controlled by international quotas set by the number of CITES permits issued to each country. Our annual quota in KZN is limited to 5 males. If the hunting of Leopards was closed in KZN, even more Leopard's lives would be at risk as some scrupulous landowners would shoot all Leopards on sight as these animals have no value to them and would be accused of killing their valuable stock. I would hate to see Leopards treated by some game farmers as Bushpigs are, by the maize and sugar cane farmers. Poaching and poisoning to me is the biggest threat to these species and not hunting.
One need only to look at the Lion breeding projects around the country that were involved in canned Lion hunting. Many of these Lions have been destroyed, as they no longer have a value to these breeders. I am not debating the issue of the pros and cons of these breeding projects, simply just mentioning the facts now that this practise has been banned. I know of one taxidermist who recently received a number of skins from one of these breeders.
In today's economic climate I feel that it is imperative that we make sure that Leopards have a value, not only to the photographic industry but also the hunting industry, communities with problem animals and game ranchers. We need to be proactive and work together to find a solution that will at least keep the majority of South Africans happy about the conservation status of our Leopards.
Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 6:17 pm Post subject: Leopards
On this topic, do you have to apply for a permit even if you hunt Leopard
on your own property?
I have heard of guys (a well known PH) that have recently been hunting in
Northern KZN where they baited Leopard over a lengthy period of time and then shot one of the many that came to inspect. The property borders some of the big private reserves so there is no shortage of Leopard but is it
legal?
Regards
Anton Roberts
THE WETLAND PARK GROUP
St Lucia Kayak Safaris
Amangwane Camp - Kosi Bay
Umkhumbi Lodge
Anton's Africa Safaris & Expeditions
African Wanderer Tours & Safaris
Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:41 am Post subject: Leopards in KZN
Jeremy
Hi
Good debate you initiated following Tony Carnie's story on leopard skins.
I am quite often in communication with Kim Wolhuter ( great grandson of Harry Wolhuter of early days in Kruger fame) who is a very accomplished wildlife film maker - living now on Malilangwe Private Game Reserve in the SE lowveld of Zimbabwe near Gonarezhou - where he is completing a series of in-depth natural history films.
More recently, as I was doing a lot of Kruger guiding and seeing more and more leopard in daylight, I sought his advice on what factors enhance a guide's chances of finding leopards during day light based on his considerable time spent following and filming these beautiful animals. His conclusion is that the over ridding factor that determines what a leopard is likely to do is temperature - ie if the night before was very cold more chance of the cat moving around when the sun comes up and even well into midday but if the night was quite warm and muggy and the day is hot following, then they sleep a lot.
Last year in July I toured in Kruger with a German couple for seven days in three camps in Kruger and we sighted a total of six individual leopards ( all in daylight) and saw one young female at the same kill twice. The nights were brass monkey cold and over a full moon period. I assumed the bright moon had made it difficult for the cats to kill at night as the reason the leopards were so active in daylight but Kim Wolhuter told me it was more likely a pure question of too cold at night so they curl up and are inactive and wait for a bit more warmth next day! On one of the days with the German couple ( who did not expect to see any leopard at all by the way as they knew they were ellusive cats) we drove down from Skukuza to Lower Sabie along the river in the morning ( still quite cold but sunny) and back late afternoon and we saw three of the total of six leopards in that short 47 km afternoon drive back from Lower Sabie one so close to the edge of the tar that the window edge of my vehicle got in the way in my trying to photograph the huge male ( pic 023 attached) which was stalking an impala nearby - that cat was hunting at about 13h00 mid day in quite warm conditions by then but after a very cold night before!
I have just done a 16 day tour in July this year for a small Australian Group of nine Zoo volunteers and staff from South Australian zoos. We covered Marakele, Mapungubwe, North Kruger, and the White Lion Project in Timbavati then came down into KZN for Ithala, Imfulosi-Hluhluwe and Mkhuze. After 18 months of mostly out of Johannesburg guiding into the Lowveld I was chuffed to be in KZN again and with an interesting group of folk, five of whom toured with me in 2008 when they had a spectacular leopard killing an impala sighting right near Berg n Dal Camp in Kruger ( pic 031 attached).
Northern Kruger was interesting but not that great for memorable sightings on this tour in July but KZN came up trumps with two excellent Black Rhino sightings in Ithala and the only leopard sighting we had on the whole trip was at the bottom of Upper Magangasi in Hluhluwe of a huge cat with a warthog kill covered in red mud up a tree early morning which was tremendous.That sighting was followed the same day with about 150 elephant cows and calves with a few attendant bulls near Memorial Gate. I have seen I suspect the exact same leopard almost in the same tree on 28/7/2005 as well and I have had two sightings of also I am sure the very same huge male leopard both right near Masinda Lodge in Imfulosi. Generally the Greater Kruger area certainly delivers on leopard - Elephant Plains Lodge also this year for just two nights with three leopard sightings - all at night but still great!
You are right in worrying that unless the killing of leopard for pure ceremonial regalia or mhuti reasons is not brought under control then we will not ever begin to rival the leopard sightings one can have in the Greater Kruger area.
Kim Wolhuter knows of a fellow who did his Phd on leopard between the Sand and Sabie rivers and it was established quite some years ago during that study that there is no other place in Africa with the same density of leopards!
I often these days loose hope for wildlife in this country as there is so much going on that mitigates against good management in many of our major state run reserves. So much so that the burdon of conservation for our future heritage is beginning to fall on the private sector which is there to make money and profit essentially and conservation for heritage reasons should be depending on the state for the core conservation whereas the core of excellent conservation practice has swung now to the private sector none more so is that obvious with the Black Rhino range expansion work as the authorities are failing in a serious manner to carry out their mandate in regard to that species in particular!
John Davison
(Registered Wildlife Guide)
Wildlife Experiences
Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:46 am Post subject: Leopards
Hi everyone,
Peter makes some very good points here. I do know that Leopards have been seen more frequently in the Karkloof area of late so they are still around but what is needed is some good research on this.
However, research costs money and this is in short supply.
I will speak to the Zoology Dept. of the University and Jean Harris of KZN Wildlife and see if they can shed some light on how this research could be undertaken so that we can find out exactly what the situation is before going off in all directions.
Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:55 am Post subject: Leopards
Hello Di and Tournetters,
Why not get visitors, residents, tour operators and landowners involved in the KZN ‘Spot the Leopard’ Project. Ask the public to send photos and information of sightings to WESSA so that they can work in conjunction with researchers. SANParks did a similar thing to gauge the population and distribution of cheetah and wild dogs in the Kruger National Park. Information gathered was e-mailed monthly to contributors and prizes offered for the best photos.
You could use local media to obtain free publicity the project and print some inexpensive flyers to be distributed to tourism offices, game lodges etc.. Perhaps TKZN and KZN Wildlife could get involved in promoting the initiative and set aside a portion of their web sites to publish the information and photos.
I’d be willing to help draft and submit press releases to various local media outlets.
Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 10:16 am Post subject: Leopard in KwaZulu-Natal
Hi Jeremy
This is a well thought out position paper. Well said.
Having finally had Canned Lion Hunting sorted out, then it is a choice time to solve a similar problem with a fellow Big 5 predator. Both Lion and Leopard are apex tourist assets.
But I fear that Trevor from Cape Town (probaly inspired by Rikus) has a very valid point. Who is going to take this up? Who is it going to be taken up with?
Needs some thought and some organised lobbying.
Will also do a lot of good for KZN’s image as pro-conservation, if it works. But the effort alone would restore some shine to KZN, espcially in the light of the history - the first game reserves in Africa were established in KZN, etc.
Given the changes in political structure, and the fact that Tourism has a new home within the provincial government strucutres, I reckon that there are opportunites for progress.
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