A specially selected group of judges for The Cape Leopard Trust's annual children’s art competition gathered at Splash Café, Claremont on Monday, 27 July for the onerous task of choosing winners from some incredibly creative art submitted by over 80 budding young artists.

Environmental Educators Catherine Kühn and Hadley Lyners were joined by wildlife photographer, Scott Ramsay, conservationist and My School/My Planet Ambassador, Braam Malherbe and Anele van der Merwe from Bridgestone, sponsors of the competition.

The theme this year was ‘Predators of the Cape’, and a diverse variety of animals featured in the line up including meerkats, the great white shark, scorpions, spiders and secretary birds as well as numerous owls. Leopards of all shapes and sizes were abundant too, and it was excellent to see the children exploring a broad spectrum of predators.

For the judges it was a massive challenge to choose the best 14 pictures, which will be made into a professionally printed 2016 calendar by CTP Printers.

The lucky winners will all get to take a friend along with them to the popular Cape Leopard Trust wilderness camp in the Cederberg.

The winners in no particular order are as follows:

• Fatima Karjieker - Rustenburg Girls Junion School - Art Title: Leopard on a Log
• Penny Möller - Homeschooled - Art Title: Focus & Hans-Pieter
• Hannah Möller - Homeschooled - Art Title: Resting
• Holly Ringwood - Kommetjie Primary - Art Title: Night Watcher
• Kelsey Julies - Kiddie Create Art School - Art Title: In the Mountains
• Mubeena Aziz - Kiddie Create Art School - Art Title: The Eagle’s Catch of the Day
• Kaelyn Ortell - Muizenberg Junior School - Art Title: Caracal Cat in the Sunrise
• Joshua Jordaan - Die Koetzee Ateljee - Art Title: Skerpioen in die Nag
• Lara Visser - Die Koetzee Ateljee - Art Title: The Secretary is Back
• Renate Coetzee - Die Koetzee Ateljee - Art Title: Ek is Kosbaar
• Elsabe Fox - Die Koetzee Ateljee - Art Title: Miskeljaatkat
• Tessa de Vletter - Kirstenhof Junior School - Art Title: Sunset Colours
• Tyla Gill - Homeschooled - Art Title: Paws for Thought 

Our thanks go to the judges, Chris van Zyl and The Vineyard Hotel for hosting the event at Splash Café, as well as to the many talented artists that sent in their entries for this year’s competition.