The Cape Leopard Trust needs your help to conserve leopards! By being observant in nature and sharing valuable data on leopard signs, threats to leopards, and wire snares, you can contribute towards our scientific research and monitoring projects.
We are compiling verifiable observations of leopards and their signs as well as threats to their survival across the Western, Eastern and Northern Cape provinces from 2010 to the present. You can share your data using our purpose-built web app which has three tailored platforms.
Submit your sightings of leopard activity in the Cape provinces. Sightings can either be photos of direct observations, camera trap photos, or signs like spoor/tracks, scats/droppings or scratch marks.
Why is this information important? Leopard Spotter data will be used to assess leopard distribution in the Cape provinces and conduct habitat suitability assessments.
Report potential threats to leopards in the Cape provinces when you see something that may present a danger to leopards. Examples of potential threats to leopards include traps, roadkill, poisoning activity and even livestock depredation* events attributed to leopards.
Why is this information important? Threat Tracker data will enable us to implement targeted conservation strategies. In addition, data on threats will be merged with our leopard sighting database to assess habitat suitability.
*In this instance we view the leopard’s behaviour as the potential threat to the species, rather than pinpointing farmers or properties as threats. Uncovering patterns or hotspots of depredation by leopards may inform mitigation measures.
Be snare aware and report snares found in the Cape provinces. Snares are simple anchored nooses made from wire, cable, rope, or other materials to capture animals.
Why is this information important? Hunting with snares poses a threat to the persistence of leopards – a top predator in the Mountain Fynbos ecosystem. This hunting method depletes the leopard’s prey base by removing prey species like grysbok, duiker, porcupine and rock hyrax from the environment. Leopards themselves can also be maimed or killed in snares. Your information on snares found, together with our own snare patrol data, helps us in the development of adaptive management plans and to advise landowners on how to mitigate and prevent this form of hunting on their properties.
How to get involved
- Get out in nature and keep your eyes peeled. You could arrange a Leopard Spotter walk, hike or run to enjoy nature and look for signs of this elusive cat.
- If you find a leopard sighting, a threat to a leopard, or a snare, take a photo of it and record your location. For spoor/tracks and scats/droppings submissions, please include a standard size reference in your photo such as a matchbox or a coin if possible.
- Access the Leopard Data Portal here:
https://app.capeleopard.org.za/- Create your account
- Confirm your registration via the email
- Log in to the app and start submitting your data.
- Tell your friends and family about the Leopard Data Portal. The more people who are looking for leopard activity, the better!
Our application is both desktop and mobile friendly. Being a web-based application, it is compatible with various operating systems and you don’t need to download it to your mobile device. Merely save the link to your phone’s home screen and use it as an app.
Please note that each data point must be inputted in the app individually, therefore if you have a large quantity of data to share or prefer to contribute via email, please email [email protected] to request a spreadsheet for submissions.
- Get out in nature and keep your eyes peeled. You could arrange a Leopard Spotter walk, hike or run to enjoy nature and look for signs of this elusive cat.
- If you find a leopard sighting, a threat to a leopard, or a snare, take a photo of it and record your location. For spoor/tracks and scats/droppings submissions, please include a standard size reference in your photo such as a matchbox or a coin if possible.
- Access the Leopard Data Portal here:
https://app.capeleopard.org.za/- Create your account
- Confirm your registration via the email
- Log in to the app and start submitting your data.
- Tell your friends and family about the Leopard Data Portal. The more people who are looking for leopard activity, the better!
Our application is both desktop and mobile friendly. Being a web-based application, it is compatible with various operating systems and you don’t need to download it to your mobile device. Merely save the link to your phone’s home screen and use it as an app.
Please note that each data point must be inputted in the app individually, therefore if you have a large quantity of data to share or prefer to contribute via email, please email [email protected] to request a spreadsheet for submissions.
