Two slain black-backed jackals. This picture was taken near Graaff Reinet on 28 July 2008.
Is this the "proud display" of South African DEAD biodiversity??!!
Please consider your farm-reared meats or animal fibre (wool and mohair) purchases next time you are at the supermarket, as your choices may make you part of this barbarism.
The Landmark Foundation is developing wildlife-friendly products that will be launched under the Fair Game™ brand in the next few months, so do look out for these.
STOP THIS SLAUGHTER OF OUR PREDATORS
Predator Persecutions Continue…but some Battles Won
The Landmark Foundation has in the last week rescued the 17th leopard in the last 4 years in and around the areas surrounding the Tsitsikamma Mountains, the Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve and Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. In fact, it was the 14th rescue in the last 18 months! We have been able to do this with the help of local farmers who have been willing to embark on and partner with us on our non-lethal, ecologically and ethically acceptable predator management efforts. We are proud of these efforts, although daunted by the task at hand.
Since late 2002, 24 leopards have been killed in this area (80% of them as a result of gin traps on farms!), but the real number may be substantially more than that, perhaps even double. Pic: Dead black-backed jackals, Great Karoo. Persecuted???!!! (Photo: Nama Karoo Foundation)
Dear All
I am pleased to be able to report a further expansion and breakthrough for our project that has resulted from the rather unfortunate events reported in late 2007 where a leopard died in the eastern part of the Western Cape
This week we rescued the 15th leopard in and around the Baviaanskloof since the Landmark Foundation project commenced in 2004. It was a large male leopard (for our area) of 38 kg. He was released back at the site of capture after collaring it with a GPS tracking device.
Research:
Our research programme is under the auspices of Rhodes University and which is analysing the data obtained from this leopard and the other 14 animals in the region to help establish information about the population densities, genetic vigour, distributions and ultimately the population viability of these elusive animals.
This individual leopard was trapped in one of our custom-made “live” traps that prevent injuries. The cat was released on site, and we are particularly excited by the fact that we already have 2 female leopards collared and tracked in the specific area. This will add a great deal to the information needed to understand how male and female leopards interact in the region. We anticipate breakthrough data from this animal.
Since 30 November 2007, there have been a further 3 leopard rescues to which we were called out around the Baviaanskloof reserve.
These have all been successful and with the aid of our live traps. Clearly we see this as a significant endorsement of our efforts. These rescues have been possible with the help of increasingly more effective collaboration with the local farmers in the region, particularly in the Baviaanskloof. This is in direct contrast to our earlier articles where some in the region (and countrywide) continue to utilise destructive, unacceptable and lethal means of predator “control” through the use of barbaric gin traps (and poisons and hunting dog packs).
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