Local news

Ingwe pioneers leopard research

A significant initiative has been pioneering a unique approach to leopard conservation in Hoedspruit.

Ingwe Leopard Research, under the guidance of the On Track Foundation of On Track Safaris, a UK-based company, celebrated its first birthday in November. “This milestone marks a year of remarkable progress and collaboration in understanding and safeguarding the region’s leopard population,” said Marine Servonnat, project manager and conservation ecologist of On Track Foundation.

Servonnat told the Herald that the project is the largest collaborative network of citizen scientists, the safari industry, and cutting-edge artificial intelligence to monitor leopards in South Africa. “The objective is to record leopard numbers, movements, and distribution across a substantial expanse,” she said. Currently, they cover an area of 300 000 hectares and are continuously expanding. “This research is a testament to the dedication towards preserving the leopard population,” she said.

Also read: Servonnat launches a crowdfunding campaign to monitor leopards

“Our focus transcends mere observation; it will be about implementing, in the near future, tangible conservation measures vital to ensure the local leopard population. “We are proud to report the involvement of 25 different reserves, an impressive leap from the initial nine in May. Collectively it covers 174 000 hectares, but by encompassing the areas in between the reserves, the study area envelops nearly 300 000 hectares.” The project has already received over 3000 images of leopards from sightings to camera traps.

Servonnat has involved residents, locals and safari guides through a mobile app that allows them to record sightings and contribute camera trap images, encouraging a deeper community engagement in the research. “Leopards spend significant time outside protected areas. I aim to deploy camera traps in non-protected areas initially focussing on orchards and farms.

Also read: Citizen research project focusses on leopards

“Owners and managers interested in sponsoring Ingwe can greatly impact conservation efforts while benefitting from increased visibility, and potential partnerships.” To stay updated on the project’s progress, those interested are encouraged to follow @ingweleopardresearch on social media and subscribe to the newsletter at ontrackfoundation.substack. com. For those keen on contributing or learning more, Servonnat welcomes inquiries via her email address marine@ ontrackfoundation.org.

At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here.

Anwen Mojela

Anwen Mojela is a journalist at the Letaba Herald. She graduated with an Advanced Diploma in Journalism at the Tshwane University of Technology. Including an internship and freelancing, Anwen has four years’ experience in the field and has been a permanent name in the Herald for nearly three years. Anwen’s career highlights include a water corruption investigative story when she was an intern and delving into wildlife and nature conservation. “I became a journalist mainly to be the voice of the voiceless, especially working for a community newspaper. Helping with the bit that I can, makes choosing journalism worth it.

Related Articles

Back to top button