Leopard Cam

Quick Facts

Where: South Africa
What: Leopard/Conservation
When: Throughout the Year
Cam: Not Live

The Cape Leopard Trust, is an organization based in Cape Town South Africa that is dedicated to the conservation of the Cape's predator diversity, and in particular, the leopard (Panthera pardus). The leopard is a ‘flagship species' that highlights the plight of the trust and helps to conserve smaller more low profile predators. The leopard has suffered extensive range loss in the Cape and has become locally extinct in many areas. Increased human habitation and agricultural practices have resulted in the general population being reduced to fragmented areas where they are protected. The aim of the trust is to help conserve the predatory diversity of the Cape and to implement conservation strategies, research projects and tourism initiatives. For more information please check out the following website http://www.capeleopard.org.za/

Best Pictures

Picture of cam location

Location and subject matter
Leopard cam is a not live camera it is a collection of images taken from a number of camera traps. A camera trap is a digital camera that is connected to a motion sensor, when it detects movement the camera captures an image. For research purposes two cameras are used in order to capture both sides of the animal. This helps researches identify each individual. In this case leopards are identified by correlating spot patterns from one image to another in the same way fingerprints are correlated. Alternatively individuals can be identified by unique characteristics like visual scarring or by other obvious characteristics like a missing ear for example. Camera traps are ideal for the use in remote or densely vegetated areas where animals are seldom seen. It provides a large data base of information on both individual animals as well as the population as a whole. Camera traps are not specific in their selection and thus capture a wide variety of animals that inhabit the study area. It can assists in estimating population size, the land utilization of individuals, sex ratio´s of a population etc. It is a powerful research tool and is used around the world on similar studies. The images are placed in a shuttle and are screened every 5 minutes. New images are added from time to time as and when we receive a new batch.