The Munyawana Leopard Project

The Munyawana Leopard Project

The leopard is one of the most widely distributed large cats in the world, with a range that includes much of Africa and Asia as well as relic populations scattered through the Middle East and south-eastern Europe. As a result of this wide geographic range, leopards are often assumed to warrant low conservation priority. Indeed, at the species level, the leopard is classified on the ICUN Red List as ‘Least Concern', and conservation evaluations at the sub-species and population level were last made in 1996. While the leopard is certainly resistant to human pressure, it is nevertheless the most persecuted large felid species in the world.

Trophy hunting is legal in many countries, but is based on very limited data, and destruction of Leopards by farmers, pastoralists and illegal hunters (‘poachers') is extremely widespread. The assumption that leopards are ‘safe' may be unwarranted in many regions. The species is elusive, solitary and largely nocturnal, which makes empirical data collection difficult and their conservation status is often assumed on the basis that they are able to persist where other large cats such as Lions and Cheetahs cannot. However, on its own, the presence of leopards in an area does not necessarily mean that a viable population occurs.

Despite numerous studies on its ecology and behaviour, the leopard has never been comprehensively researched under differing levels of human persecution. Accordingly, and as a result of increasing hunting of leopards in adjacent areas, we initiated a study of the landscape ecology of leopards in and around Phinda. Leopards are fully protected in Phinda (and nearby conservation areas such as Mkhuze Game Reserve) but are heavily persecuted once they move onto privately-owned game and livestock farms which abut Phinda's boundaries. Increasing persecution of

Leopards outside Phinda and other reserves in the region since 1997 has raised concerns that:
1. Protected areas are providing a source population for hunting in adjacent areas.
2. Properties engaging in hunting are drawing entirely on ‘overflow' from protected populations rather then fostering populations on those properties.
3. Levels of persecution outside protected areas may be high that protected populations are unable to increase and may be diminishing.

Objectives

This is the fist study of leopards comparing a protected population adjacent to regions where the species is heavily persecuted, and will be the fist examination of leopard ecology under such widely divergent land-users. This is also the first full study of the species in KwaZulu-Natal. The project is the chief scientific initiative of the Munyawana Leopard Conservancy, an agreement between local stake-holders in the region that aims to establish a unified accord on consumptive and non-consumptive use of leopards in the region. In addition to Phinda, the following properties are currently signatories to the Conservancy agreement: Bumbeni Game Ranch, Kube-Yini Game Reserves, Pumalanga Game Reserve, Zuka Ranch and Zulu Nyala Game Reserve. Additionally, the project is endorsed by the KZN Wildlife Conservation Service and the Natal Game Ranchers Association.

The specific aims of the study are:
1. To determine the population status of the leopard in northern KwaZulu-Natal
2. To determine ranging patterns and habitat use by leopards across land-types which are extremely variable with respect to their human uses
3. To assess the mortality rate and the factors contributing to mortality of leopards occupying different land-types, comparing protected populations with hunted populations
4. To establish the reproductive parameters (especially the number of surviving cubs) in protected and persecuted populations
5. To investigate the genetic characteristics of the population, particularly the relationship among individuals
6. To investigate the feeding ecology of leopards in the region
7. To establish a management plan for leopards for KwaZulu-Natal which ensures viable populations of the species are protected in the province while also permitting regulated utilization by landowners

To investigate these questions, we began capturing leopards in April 2002 to fit them with radio-collars.

Tracking Leopards

Leopards are typically very shy, are capable of inhabiting very dense habitats and are largely nocturnal, characteristics which make collecting data on them quite challenging. To facilitate the monitoring of Leopards being studied by the Munyawana Leopard Project, the cats are initially sedated and fitted with radio transmitting or GPS (global positioning system) collars. This allows an individual leopard to be later located by radio telemetry or via GPS technology, depending on the type of collar fitted. Initial sedation also provides the researchers with an opportunity to accurately estimate the age of the leopard and to collect other physical measurements and DNA samples.

Data are collected by either of two methods:

1. Radio Telemetry: A series of long-range and close-range telemetry receivers are used to physically late and animal wearing a VHF radio transmitting collar. Coordinates are recorded in the field, by wither using a grid system or a hand held GPS unit. This system is great for following one or two Leopards but becomes very labour-intensive when multiple animals - such as the twelve currently collared for this project - need to be located daily. Problems also arise when wide-ranging individuals cross onto land a researcher is not permitted to traverse.
2. GPS: Collars using GPS technology allow multiple locations to be recorded daily without the need for physically locating the animal. Using the coordinates received by at least three satellites, a location (accurate to within 15-30m) is automatically calculated and delivered electronically to a GPS database. The data can then be accessed via the internet or even received as an SMS on a mobile phone. This enables researchers to collect data on many animals simultaneously and also allows data to be collected from areas where the researcher cannot go.

Surveying Leopard Populations

With the advances in digital camera technology, camera trapping has become an affordable and very effective survey technique for leopards. To effectively survey an area, camera traps are arranged in an appropriate matrix to reduce the probability of a leopard moving undetected through the survey area. To allow the unambiguous identification of individual leopards, cameras are arranged in pairs. The simultaneous photographing of both the left and right hand side of the animal is required as their coat pattern varies between sides.
The project is led by Dr. Luke Hunter who has been working on large cats in KwaZulu-Natal since 1992 and now heads the Global Carnivore Program of the Wildlife Conservation Society, New York. Former Phinda and Londolozi ranger Guy Balme is the Field coordinator, currently working on his Masters degree on the ranging and dispersal patterns of the Munyawana Leopards. Victoria Mitchell is an undergraduate zoology student who provided voluntary field assistance on two extended visits, and is responsible for the design and maintenance of the project's website (www.biolsci.monash.edu.au/leopards).

- Victoria Mitchell -

Posted: Mammals by CC Africa, Date: 21 November 2006