African Wildlife Environment Issue 75 FINAL

CONSERVATION

and other species . This includes placing tracking collars on some leopards and 'camera trapping' them to build up valuable data to support their survival. Wildlife vet, Dr Paul Bartels, is also actively involved in the SMS project. Paul, who works for the Nature Conservation Division of the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), darted Brandy. She was treated at the Johannesburg Animal Hospital and released back into the wild. This has been a success story. This year he also rescued five bush pigs from snares. Leanne reports that the poachers were not deliberately hunting leopard. Members of the local rural community

another seems to takes its place. However, there is too much pressure on this umbrella species, and they are struggling to maintain their numbers at five. “A new leopard will come into the area, but they are lucky to survive the 12 months needed to rear cubs,” she said. Leanne, Marie de Vos, Mariska Nel and Mart-Marie Scholtz from the Singhata C o n s e r v a t i o n Research Fund, report that there are plans to get young, knowledgeable and enthusiastic people, probably tertiary students, to regularly patrol the area and report back and monitor all trends. The WESSA- sponsored SMS project will continue to arrange similar

Leanne Ray and Jackson, the Australian Cow Dog, leading the SMS snare removal day. Leanne is writing her PhD on leopard population demography

were targeting antelope, some as large as kudu, but leopard, bush pigs and cattle often get caught in the snares. Leanne said the aimof the SMS project is to remove the snares as fast – if not faster – than the poachers can set them. She noticed there were more new snares, suggesting poachers were forced to buy new equipment more frequently. There were no snares to be found on that day so the costs may be outweighing the benefits of poaching. We cannot afford to become complacent. Wars of attrition are won by keeping the pressure on. It is estimated that the Magaliesberg has about five leopards at any given time, and five have died during the past four years including a young female leopard known as Athena whose cubs do not appear to have survived., According to Leanne, the Magaliesberg has the carrying capacity for 11 leopards. As one dies,

days or even weekends where volunteers can spend a night camping and socialising in the bush, and contribute towards the conservation of the species that populate this ancient and magnificent mountain range. The days can be arranged but are dependent on the number of volunteers who are prepared to provide their time. The last snare-clearing day started at the Nyoka Ridge Vulture Restaurant site, which is on Paul Bartels' farm, just off the Skeerpoort/ Hekpoort road. WESSA held an International Vulture Awareness Day at Nyoka Ridge on September 7.

Mark Gray mobileadventures@gmail.com +27 (83) 969-9083

9 | African Wildlife & Environment | Issue 75 (2020)