For the first time in nearly two centuries, a leopard has been spotted in the West Coast National Park – a moment hailed as a triumph for South Africa’s conservation and rewilding efforts.

According to a media statement issued by South African National Parks (SANParks), the landmark sighting of a leopard in the park is the first in 170 years. It marks the natural return of the species to South Africa’s coastal landscapes, which is a powerful sign of ecological recovery.

The leopard became locally extinct as a species in the mid-1800s but has now naturally returned.

“An image, captured by a remote camera trap, confirms that this elusive predator has recolonised a region from which it had long been absent,” says SANParks’ head of communications and spokesperson, JP Louw.

The discovery is the result of a collaborative effort between the Landmark Leopard and Predator Project, SANParks, the University of the Western Cape, Saldanha Bay Municipality and numerous private landowners, who have been working together to monitor and protect the country’s recovering leopard populations. The project has been running for the past few years on the West Coast between Cape Town and the Berg River.

Conservationists attribute this extraordinary return to a combination of factors, including co-ordinated efforts by NGOs and conservation authorities, progressive changes in land use (and the development of conservation areas, such as the West Coast National Park), protective environmental legislation and a growing tolerance and coexistence between local communities and wildlife.

Over the past two decades, the Landmark Leopard and Predator Project and other stakeholders have worked to restore ecological corridors and reconnect fragmented habitats across the Western, Eastern and Northern Cape.

“These efforts have allowed wildlife like leopards to move more freely and safely through the landscape,” says Louw.

The comeback has been helped by landowners learning to live alongside wildlife and by strong protection laws in the area.

“The return of the leopard to the West Coast National Park underscores the success of long-term conservation partnerships and highlights the importance of continued collaboration to ensure that this remarkable recovery endures. This result is worthy of celebration,” says Louw.

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