The Ungardener returned to Driehoek
in October, still hoping to
help trap Spot, the Cape mountain leopard.
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| Driehoek dam |
While Dr Quinton Martins of the Cape Leopard
Trust has traps set, he needs help monitoring 24/7. That is where the
Ungardener comes in, as a volunteer.
Each trap, and each collar, transmits a radio signal. When (if) the trap is triggered, Jurg uses the satellite phone to call Quinton. If it is a leopard, a vet comes from Ceres to immobilise it for measuring and collaring.
Each trap, and each collar, transmits a radio signal. When (if) the trap is triggered, Jurg uses the satellite phone to call Quinton. If it is a leopard, a vet comes from Ceres to immobilise it for measuring and collaring.
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| At Driehoek with radio antenna |
Trapping a wary wild animal, requires PATIENCE,
and persistence. The baboons trigger the traps, which must be reset after they have released themselves. Since a few hikers, who can’t read, were caught – Cape Nature has agreed
to close the Uilsgat trail until the end of November.
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| Sign on Uilsgat trail with Dr Quinton Martins |
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| Anatolian shepherd dog at Driehoek |
Since I write these Cape mountain leopards posts blind,
using his photos and his stories, he brought me flowers. There’s a reason why
they call it fynbos. A huge diversity
of tiny flowers. There’s a puff of
wild rosemary cotton, some yellow bulbine, the faded reminder of a strawflower,
tiny white spikes of Selago, apricot
fading to red Lyperia or Manulea in the centre?
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| Fynbos flowers at Driehoek in October |
Looking back down the path to Driehoek farm, winding past protea bushes
carpeted with restios, bulbs in their season, always something in flower.
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| Looking back to the farm |
Looking up into the mountains, where about 30 Cape mountain leopards live in the Cederberg. Only two of these precious animals have been killed by farmers here, since the Trust came into existence in 2004. Before it was 8 a year!
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| Looking up to Driehoek mountains |
A second week of monitoring, but still, no
leopard. He drove home over the Uitkyk
Pass. Uitkyk meaning lookout or view.
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| Uitkyk Pass |
They were so close! There is a camera trap at
the river crossing, and the elusive Spot was caught in the act of passing the
trap. But not IN the trap! I don’t use photos we haven’t taken ourselves – but
as Jurg said – this was on his watch. See the time stamp?
This photo is
copyright to the Cape Leopard Trust.
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| Spot caught by the camera trap of the Cape Leopard Trust |
If you too are interested in the survival of Cape mountain leopards there is a subscription only newsletter. Thank you!
Pictures by Jurg (and the Trust), words by Diana of Elephant's Eye
- wildlife gardening in Porterville, near Cape Town in South Africa
(If you mouse over brown text, it turns shriek pink. Those are my links.)
Diana, they sound as elusive as the snow leopard of the Himalayas. A friend has one Anatolian shepdogs and the intimidatingly massive, I have made particular friends with it.
ReplyDeleteHi Diana, Love the photo of the Leopard. Great post, enjoyed the visit.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day,
John
Oh Diana how beautiful...he is just gorgeous...I am so happy you at least caught him on camera...what a beautiful place for such a majestic cat....
ReplyDeleteImagine!
ReplyDeleteAmazing! How sad that farmers think it is o.k. to kill these beautiful animals.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful creature and what a strange and rare world you open up to me. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteFrom 8 deaths a year to 2 in 7--that's an amazing track record for the Trust! All of Jurg's photos are wonderful, but he's outdone himself (again) on the first one. At least he didn't have baboons cursing at him this time.
ReplyDeleteDenise - I wonder what predator would be an issue in Holland? Before we left Switzerland they began to reintroduce wolves in the Alps towards Italy.
ReplyDeleteDiana, i love that first photo of reflection, and i love the work of your husband. If i were you i will always tag along in looking for those creatures in the mountains.
ReplyDeleteAndrea - this creature, likes her comforts (cats, roses, blog)!
ReplyDeletewonderful photo of the leopard. Catherine above referred to the snow leopard of the Himalayas. About 10 years I went hiking in the Himalayas, in snow leopard country, but never saw or heard any. It's such a challenge to conserve big cats in the wild.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if such efforts will be successful with the population at 7 billion and rapidly growing. But these keep hope alive.
ReplyDeleteHi Diana - Fabulous that Jurg got to see one!! At last! His photos are wonderful too. Love the Blommetjies he brought you :)
ReplyDeleteChristine - it is tantalising! The camera trap is triggered automatically when an animal passes.
ReplyDeleteAmazing! That photo of the leopard is fabulous! What a beautiful creature. It must be very exciting to be a part of this.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you dropped by my blog so I could find yours. And I'm pleased to hear of your leopard protection successes. They are magnificent creatures in an equally magnificent country. Lucky that the camera caught a glimpse.
ReplyDeleteHow exciting to capture a photo of the elusive cat even if they weren't able to catch it. At least they know they are on the right track. and lucky us we all get to see the photo. Such a beautiful animal.
ReplyDeleteIt is wonderful to get a glimpse of the life you live beyond the walls of your beautiful garden. The leopard is a magnificent animal. I have only seen them in a zoo. It must be thrilling to see them in their native habitat. The last photo is amazing!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful creature the Cape leopard is! We ourselves live in a mountain lion corridor here on the Santa Rosa Plateau and there's an ongoing collaring project run by Univ. of California, Davis, to better track their movements in order to improve conservation efforts. There's no reason why humans and all our majestic wild felines can't coexist.
ReplyDeleteThese guys are doing an amazing job and seems to be winning the battle. The same battle is on in the Baviaanskloof where farmers are also shooting leopards for the same reason. Lets hope that battle are won as well.
ReplyDeleteThe leopard pic is a stunning one. Makes you wish you had taken it yourself, doesn't it?
Diana - have revisited a couple of times to read and digest. The first image alone is one for meditation. Fascinating to read about you and the Ungardener living where the wild things are. Using sheep dogs to keep Mountain leopards away and thus protect them is a brilliant project to be involved with. Lovely words for the flynbos flowers too.
ReplyDeleteA truly amazing shot of such a handsome creature.
ReplyDeleteVery well captured on camera... clear and crisp...
ReplyDeleteDiana, you live in the most beautiful place,thank you for sharing these wonderful images, how I would love to visit, maybe next year....
ReplyDeletelast week my husband was in jo'berg on business and he was in Capetown earlier in the year. Christina
It's foliage day on 22nd tomorrow if you have some time to post, I'd love to see what you have this month.
Diana, I have heard of wolves along our border with Germany. But when farmers complain, it is mostly about geese. I think.
ReplyDeleteWOW WOW WOW!!!! This is a great post. I hope the population stays protected and that farmers will continue their efforts and prevent the killings of these amazing creatures. Your story is hopeful. We have a similiar one here in Tucson....that of the Jaguar. It is making its way back into Arizona again. And that is something to be hopeful for...
ReplyDeleteAn exciting post, Diana! What a lovely capture of the leopard, especially considering that it was an 'automated' shot! And how lovely the Cederberg!
ReplyDeleteRohrerbot's current post on jaguars in Tucson Arizona
ReplyDeletehttp://gardeningandthespanishway-rohrerbot.blogspot.com/2011/11/jaguars-return-to-southern-arizona.html
Hi the photo of leopard is just stunning and beautiful. Great photography.
ReplyDelete