Leopard
A leopard has been captured on camera‐trap in the West Coast National Park (WCNP) – a first in some 170 years. The milestone sighting signals the species’ natural return to South Africa’s Cape coastal ecosystem thanks to long‑term corridor restoration and cooperative conservation efforts.
A leopard has been captured on camera in the West Coast National Park, a historic first in around 170 years, signalling the species’ return to South Africa’s Cape coastal ecosystem. The elusive predator was recorded by a remote camera trap in the park, located between Cape Town and the Berg River, after being absent from the region since the mid‑1800s.
SANParks and conservation partners say the sighting is the result of years of coordinated efforts, including the Landmark Leopard and Predator Project, habitat restoration, and the creation of ecological corridors that reconnect fragmented landscapes. Private landowners, municipalities, and researchers have all contributed to these initiatives, encouraging coexistence and reducing barriers for wildlife dispersal.
The successful return of the leopard highlights the importance of long‑term conservation strategies and the positive impact of protecting apex predators within restored ecosystems. Officials emphasise that ongoing monitoring is essential to ensure the species’ persistence and to manage potential human‑wildlife conflicts as predators move into previously uninhabited areas.
For the West Coast region, the leopard’s return offers hope that even modified coastal landscapes can support large carnivores if ecological connections are maintained. The sighting stands as a testament to what dedicated conservation, collaboration, and landscape‑scale planning can achieve in restoring biodiversity.
