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Snared leopard given new lease on life in Addo park
A YOUNG leopard caught in a cable snare on a farm outside Uitenhage has been rescued and released into the Addo Elephant National Park.
Predator research organisation Landmark Foundation director Bool Smuts said the 21kg immature male cat had been discovered by a farm worker last Thursday.
Smuts said: “Fortunately, the thickness of the cable prevented it cutting into the skin of the animal and it caught it around the midriff. It suffered no debilitating injuries and could be released immediately.
He said because of the animal‘s size, it could not be fitted with a GPS collar as future growth could have resulted in his strangulation.
“The lack of a collar on his release does hamper our tracking of him and his continued well-being. However, we hope to get some data from foot patrols and infra-red camera traps in the area of his release.”
Smuts said the leopard was saved by the speedy response of a farm worker, the farmer, the local police and veterinarian Dr Anton Kruger, of Uitenhage.
The leopard was found very close to the northern part of town, near the road leading to Graaff-Reinet.
“We have very little data on how many leopards are still roaming in the Uitenhage area, hence the Landmark Foundation predator research project.
“Although until now our research concentrated on predators in the Baviaanskloof area, we are encouraged that the word is spreading that the foundation can help with leopard rescue and related matters almost anywhere in the Eastern and Southern Cape,” he said.
The Landmark Foundation, in collaboration with Eastern Cape department of economic development and environmental affairs, and SANParks were then able to arrange the successful release into the Kuzuko contractual reserve area of the Addo Elephant National Park.
“Although the farmer had not suffered losses from predation, because of the number of poachers‘ snares found on his farm he insisted the animal be moved to a place of safety, which the authorities agreed to, and the animal was moved to Addo.”
The leopard was the fourth healthy rescued cat to be released into Addo through the Landmark Foundation project. All the transferred animals have so far thrived and remained in the area.
“We are heartened by the ever- expanding collaboration among landowners, their labourers, police, other animal rights activists and conservationists, and more than 10 local veterinarians,” said Smuts.
By Athane Scholtz, The Herald