C4 and Leopard conservation success!

C4 Images and Safaris aids in the release of a wild captive leopard

On the 16th February 2014, C4 Images and Safaris were contacted to help with an immediate conservation concern in the North West Province. An unidentified man was found to allegedly be keeping four leopards in captivity and in very poor condition. The consensus by conservation officials was that the leopards were all wild - due to their aggressive nature. To prove this, they needed to see if the leopards could survive in the wild, which was the conservationists educated opinion.

In order to monitor this, a GPS/VHF collar was required to track the leopard.
The problem was that a collar needed to be sources, post haste and some one was required to pay for the collar.

Many a phone call was made and eventually a collar was located. When C4 Images and Safaris received the call requesting funding for the collar we jumped at the chance to help release and monitor a captive wild leopard.

The operation took place a day or two afterwards with SAPS involvement after they were immobilized and trans located form their captive area to the Magaliesberg. The released leopard was found to still be in the reserve a few days later and C4 has been receiving updates on its movements.

For now it seems definite that this is a wild leopard that was caught and held illegally in very poor conditions. It is now a free roaming animal in an unfenced wilderness area providing valuable movement and range data.

If all the leopards are determined to be wild in, C4 will have directly contributed to conservation by helping prove that the leopards were captured and kept illegally - presumably for the wildlife trade.

The North West Conservation authorities will wait a few more weeks to close the case against the alleged person. One thing is for sure: a once confined wild leopard is rescued and is once again wild and free: One which could have quite easily been a leopard skin lying on a floor.

C4 is very proud to have been involved in ensuring such a special notion and we look forward to being involved in future conservation issues that directly aid our wildlife.