Leopard Rewilding can be successful The De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Trust in cooperation with Shayamanzi Leopard Project recently envisaged on a project to prove the viability and success of rewilding a young wild born leopard cub back into the wild. The 6 month old leopard was received by the D...
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Leopard Rewilding can be successful The De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Trust in cooperation with Shayamanzi Leopard Project recently envisaged on a project to prove the viability and success of rewilding a young wild born leopard cub back into the wild.  The 6 month old leopard was received by the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Trust approximately one and a half years ago. This leopard was kept in holding at the DeWildt/Shingwedzi Wildlife Ranch and was then transferred to the Shayamanzi Leopard Project where a one hectare camp was erected for the purpose of possible leopard release. Jannie Parsons, owner of the Leopard Project made his property in the Waterberg as well as his facilities available for this purpose. After spending 12 months in the one hectare camp with very little human contact, “Zorro” as the leopard was named, was sedated and fitted with a GPS GSM VHF behavior biotelemetry collar kindly sponsored by HOTGROUP. Zorro was then released into a conservation area in the Waterberg and has been monitored ever since. Reports have been received of Zorro hunting and killing a blue wildebeest. This is definitely an indication of the possible success of the rewilding of young leopards. Zorro will be monitored closely to see if he comes into conflict with human farming activities or not. |
