Have you heard about the amazing work being done to protect leopards in South Africa? It’s pretty incredible. There’s this project called Ingwe Leopard Research (ILR), which is part of the On Track Foundation’s efforts to conserve these iconic big cats. They’re involved with some really cool initiatives to help ensure that leopards can thrive in their natural habitat.
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Ingwe Leopard Research is not just any research project; it’s the largest citizen science initiative in South Africa dedicated to studying leopards. By collaborating with various stakeholders like game reserves, NGOs, and local communities, ILR aims to delve deep into the lives of these elusive creatures both inside and outside protected areas in order to grow our understanding of leopards’ movements and distribution.
You can actually get involved in leopard conservation just by sharing your safari sightings using our app. It’s used by thousands of wildlife enthusiasts all over the world, and it’s a great way to help contribute valuable information for conservation efforts. So next time you spot a leopard, don’t forget to ting it on the app!
It doesn’t end with just sharing your sightings on our app. Your leopard photos and videos are super important too! When you upload clear images or videos of your tings to the Latest Sightings app, you’re giving researchers crucial visual data. This helps them identify individual leopards and estimate population numbers more accurately. So, the next time you snap a picture of a leopard during your safari, don’t forget to share it on the app.
In 2023 alone, the Latest Sightings app recorded an impressive 1589 unique leopard sightings, with a whopping 21% of these sightings leading to positive identifications.
You can see the incredible travel distances covered by the leopards in the graph above. For instance, Maximus covered 92 kilometers, and Nala, who traveled an astonishing 191 kilometers within a specific time frame in 2023.
By actively participating in projects like ILR and making use of the Latest Sightings app, you become an integral part of leopard conservation in South Africa. Your contributions, no matter how small, play a role in safeguarding these magnificent creatures for generations to come.
