Excited children, parents, educators and friends joined The Cape Leopard Trust on Saturday afternoon, 15 November to celebrate the winners of an environmental art exhibition and auction at the Green Point Urban Park Biodiversity Education Centre.

The event was the culmination of an art competition called 'Nature Matters', which yielded some incredible results from young artists from schools and communities around Cape Town.

The young artists interpreted in their art pieces how they sense their connection with nature and leopards, and the standard of work submitted was phenomenal. Over 120 entries were received from a diversity of schools from Cape Town and surrounding areas and backgrounds. As well as city applicants such as Observatory Junior, False Bay Primary, Muizenberg Junior and Kommetjie Primary, entries came from as far away as Veldrif and Piketberg.

The art works were on public view and available for purchase with all proceeds going towards the work of the Trust. The insight shown by these youngsters indicates how valuable conservation education is, and how inspired and motivated the next generation are to care for their environment.

Veldrif High School and Die Coetzee Ateljee were voted overall winners and each school won an an environmental camp in the Cedeberg sponsored by Bridgestone.

Other sponsors that supported the event, and we would like to thank especially are Orms photographic specialists, K-Way and Bos Ice Tea. It is always surprising how many people in Cape Town are totally unaware that Cape mountain leopards exist in the wild.