Two leopards have been sighted within De Hoop Nature Reserve in the Western Cape through a camera trap monitoring project led by the Morukuru Goodwill Foundation, Landmark Foundation and CapeNature.
The footage, collected between February and March 2025, shows a roaming male leopard and possibly a female on the Infanta side of the reserve. Over 4 200 images were recorded across a 50-day period.
CapeNature CEO Ashley Naidoo said the data confirms the Greater De Hoop Nature Reserve and surrounding areas continue to provide suitable habitat for Cape leopards in the Overberg region. “These monitoring projects provide valuable information to guide long-term conservation management of the species,” he noted.
The traps, equipped for day and night use, also captured 17 other mammal species including caracal, honey badger, porcupine, Cape grysbok, bushpig and baboon.
Landmark Foundation GM Bool Smuts said the presence of two leopards suggests the potential for population viability in the region, provided habitat corridors are protected and expanded.
The project forms part of a broader regional conservation strategy that includes habitat connectivity and human-wildlife conflict mitigation. Morukuru Ocean House and Morukuru Beach Lodge are involved in the initiative by offering guests access to camera inspections, wildlife data interpretation and educational briefings.
