African Wildlife & Environment Issue 80

WESSA PEOPLE

LEANNE VENTER - LOVING LEOPARDS

Holidays spent camping and hiking in the bushveld of the Magaliesberg mountains kindled Leanne Venter’s love for nature froman early age. It was this love that led her to pursue a BSc degree in Ecology at the University of Pretoria, followed by an Honours degree in Zoology.

Leanne Venter

Attending a conservation seminar presented by Professor Brian Riley, head of the Department of Nature Conservation at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) and a prominent figure in South African conservation, inspired Leanne to centre her studies on conservation-related research. She completed a Master's degree in Nature Conservation at TUT’s Department of Nature Conservation, which fueled her love for nature into a burning passion to conserve South Africa’s rich diversity of fauna and the habitats that support them. Her Master's research focused on the effects of wildlife management practices on mammal diversity, and highlighted the importance of unprotected areas of land in the conservation of South African wildlife. Leanne’s fieldwork made her aware of the many conservation challenges, including poaching and human-wildlife conflict, which is particularly rife in areas that are not formally protected. It was during this time that Leanne became acquainted with Dr Paul Bartels, a veterinarian and passionate conservationist, who is also a long-standing member of WESSA. Dr Bartels is actively involved in anti-poaching drives in the Magaliesberg Biosphere Reserve, and after facilitating the

rescue of the famous female leopard called 'Brandy' from a snare set by poachers, he started the Save Magaliesberg Species (SMS) project. Eager to aid in the conservation of the Magaliesberg, the setting of many of her most cherished childhood memories, Leanne started volunteering with the SMS project and soon after joined the WESSA Northern Areas Region committee. In 2017 Leanne took on the role of coordinator for WESSA Northern Areas Region and in 2021 became one of the Regional Representatives; she is also a member of the Environmental Governance Committee. She is involved in various WESSA projects in the North West Province, including snare removal initiatives, and, in conjunction with the North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, leopard research and conflict mitigation. In fact, it was partly due to her involvement with WESSA that Leanne decided to take on a PhD in Applied sciences at TUT. The leopards of the Magaliesberg are the stars of her ongoing PhD research, and are providing valuable information on the science behind leopard relocation, leopard population demography, and the threats facing

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