Kgalagadi Leopard Sightings

Post by **AstroMatt** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 9:51 pm

The idea behind this thread is to upload pictures of leopards you have seen in KTP that have been positively identified as one of those in my leopard guide (Download PDF here). If you have a new unidentified sighting please post it in the Kgalagadi Leopard Discussions thread: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=222&t=2019

Important Info When Posting
When you post please upload your picture of an identified leopard with the name and date in the title. Include the location and other sighting information in the body of the post. Please only do one leopard sighting per post. Please don't post comments on this thread. Your comments and discussions are very welcome here: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=222&t=2019
Importantly please also ensure that you have reported the sighting to the KTP Leopard Project separately (only takes a few minutes) as this thread is NOT monitored for the puropses of the project and your sighting could otherwise be missed by the project....it would be a shame to lose this data.

KTP Leopard Project Sighting Report

The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park Leopard Project

The KTP leopard project has been operational since 2011 and is primarily composed of two principle aspects. The first is the production of an identification guide for the KTP leopards (the guide is available on my website as a pdf). The purpose of the guide is to enhance the visitor's experience of the park by providing them with the means to identify a leopard they see. Ideally the identification would take place during the sighting or possibly back at the camp. However, identifications after the trip can be extremely informative, particularly when you may realise that you have seen the same leopard many times.

The second aspect is the science that this project will undertake. Much like a static camera trap survey, every visitor and their camera can be utilised as a mobile camera trap. Using these 'trap events' or sightings, we can analyse the identifications, locations and times of the data to get a better understanding of the ecology of the Kgalagadi leopard; such as total population, sex ratio, movement patterns of young when dispersing, lifespan etc.

It is important to note that all sightings are important. Old sightings from as far back as possible will enable us to greatly increase our understanding of the population since it could provide a much better estimate of a leopards age, or show spatially where it has come from. Please also submit bad photos since it is often possible to provide an identification from just a few spots. So if you do see a leopard on your next trip then no matter how far it is and how small the zoom on your camera please try and get a picture as it could be extremely useful.

If you would like to find out more about the project then please visit the official project website Kgalagadi Leopard Project or drop me an email ktp.leopards@gmail.com $\O$

Post by **Mel** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 9:52 pm

Post by **Mel** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 9:54 pm

Post by **Wanda** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 9:54 pm

Our first daytime KTP leopard just south of Urikaruus, seen at midday. Houmoed was busy licking the fur off a springbok carcass. The sighting lasted a few minutes - Houmoed became uneasy with the vehicles around him, and climbed down the tree and disappeared into the grass.

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Post by **Wanda** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 9:56 pm

We found Maja on a dead tree near Houmoed waterhole, eating a jackal. It was the golden light of late afternoon and she was gorgeous. We had a few minutes with her before she climbed down the tree and headed off across the Auob riverbed.

April 2006

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Post by **Wanda** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 9:58 pm

At the '10km to Twee Rivieren' sign we found Maja again....with her 6 month old cub (Jannie) and the Leeudril Male. At 7.50am the sighting started off with all 3 leopards on a calcrete cliff. They slowly made their way down to the road, Maja in the lead. Jannie was not happy with the Leeudril Male and all the attention his mom, Maja, was getting from him. At one stage Jannie hissed and growled at the big male. The Leeudril Male just side stepped around Jannie to get to Maja. All 3 leopards crossed the road and disappeared up a rise. This sighting lasted about half an hour.

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Post by **Wanda** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 10:01 pm

On the last day of our trip we were on our way out of the park and found Rooibrak near Batulama waterhole. He came down the calcrete cliff, then changed his mind and climbed back up, disappearing over the ridge.This male was massive, and when we inquired about him from Twee Rivieren staff members, were told that he was arguably the biggest male leopard in the park. The sighting occurred around 9am and lasted a few minutes.

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Post by **Mel** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 10:03 pm

Maja was the first leopard that gave us a spectacular view on that exceptional species.

March 2010

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Post by **nan** » Fri Sep 27, 2013 6:10 pm

Mon Safran

24.7.2009
the day after the big fire at Grootkolk

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Post by **ExFmem** » Fri Sep 27, 2013 7:41 pm

Maja was in a tree very near the Twee R gate at 9:15 with a springbok kill. She later came down to the ground, groomed, rested awhile, and went back up the tree to sleep.

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Africa Wild

Kgalagadi Leopard Sightings

Kgalagadi Leopard Sightings

index to Identified Kgalagadi Leopards

Index to Identified Kgalagadi Leopards

Identified Kgalagadi Leopards

Maja - 30 April 2006

Maja; Jannie; Leeudril Male - 23 September 2007

Rooibrak - 1 October 2007

Maja - March 2010

Safran - July 2009

Maja 15 Oct. 2006