Predator Research update

School Visit!

2012-02-16T03:58:00.000-08:00

Zebra posing at Thaba Tholo

HI everyone!

I have taken over from Emma Loader as the head researcher for the Ingwe Leopard Research and team leader for the new Black Leopard Campus volunteer scheme.We are busy rebuilding our research camp, which is due to be finished at the end of March! Until then I will be based at Black leopard Camp and will move down to my new accommodation in April

Volunteer camp building so far

The time between now and then will be spent finding my feet in these roles and working with our volunteers who will be staying with me at Black Leopard Camp. I am extremely excited to be involved with this and helping to continue what the project started in 1999.

School buildings at Sizo

Apart from assisting with the research on Thaba Tholo, we would like the volunteers to contribute a bit of their time to the community, in particular the local schools. Involving the community is one of the most important parts of conservation and I believe a key in making a project a success.

Building needing renovation

The Sizo primary school situated between Lydenburg and Thaba Tholo was visited by 2 On Track Safari Guests Karen and John to help us distribute some much needed gifts for the children donated by previous guests.

On Track safari Guests meet the children and teachers

Sizo was one of 5 schools that Carol and I had visited a last week. Each school needs help in different ways. None of the schools have computers for the children or even a TV to show educational dvd's etc. Sizo has a couple of nice classrooms and a library. But like many schools in rural areas, 2 or even 3 grades are taught together because of the lack of teachers.

Organizing the gifts for the children

All of the schools we visited teach in English, but one thing that struck me was how shy the children were. As the gifts of socks, pencils, rubbers etc were handed out they began to smile, but when I told one of the girls she had a very pretty smile and she went all shy again!

The principal told us they teach in English to give the students more confidence for when they reach high school and the work place. I could see already just visiting the school with the volunteers would be a huge benefit to the children to practice their English with us and to hear different accents!

The school principal showing us around.

It reminds me of a visit to I made to Sumatra when I was in my early 20's. I was sitting in a building, in a small village close to Way Kambas National Park, where I had been staying. The building housed a number of phones and this was how the local people could communicate with the outside world. I was sitting minding my own business waiting for my friend to finish his phone conversation when a little old lady who was sitting next to me, turned to me and spoke in Indonesian or her local language. I replied “I am sorry, I don’t understand, I’m English”. At this she turned to her children, pointed animatedly at me and shouted “English”. Suddenly I was surrounded by 4 or 5 children all giggling. One asked me “How are you?” I replied “I am fine thank you and you?” They went into a fit of laughter as the next one asked me a question. The penny dropped, they were so excited to practice their English on a real English person and they were beside themselves! Their mother was touching my hair and saying “beautiful, I love you, please come home with us!” Quite a surreal but heartwarming experience!

School drinking water.

Written by Tara

Schools- we've a long way to go

2012-02-07T08:12:00.000-08:00

Carol and Tara took time out yesterday to visit some of our local schools, to assess their needs and also to start distributing some of the schools donations we have been given.
More about one specific need later.
At the end of the day they had visited five schools in the locale.
Now I have to say at this point we are not education specialists, so Carol had invited along two two consultants from Funda Afrika to assist.
Carol is still putting together a detailed report, but the bottom line is that there are a couple of common issues where the schools asked for help:

Admin assistance
Infrastructure repairs
Sports equipment
IT equipment and support

Our plan is to do our best to help. We'll start with easy steps and offer a monthly visits by Tara accompanied by our research volunteers to help with IT coaching and/or sports coaching, as well as helping to organise the school library if there is one and generally be extra pairs of hands for the head teacher.
Meanwhile we'll try to raise funds, with the hope that we can extend our support, given that we can find some sponsorship. Fingers crossed.

One of the first issues that we urgently need to deal with is to upgrade the kitchen in one of the schools. As you can see from the picture below, the cooking facilities are rather rudimentary and when compared with the other schools, are way behind the required standard. Lunch is often the only meal of the day for the pupils, so it's essential that this school has good facilities to prepare food and thereafter the funds to buy (or hopefully grow) produce. So we have our first gaol:

Written by Will Fox
Advised by Carol and Tara

The new team an update

2012-02-03T03:50:00.000-08:00

As many of you will know Tara has arrived at Black Leopard Camp to take up her new role as Volunteer team leader and leopard researcher.
After settling in Tara is taking a hand over from Emma re the great work she achieved last year and will be continuing that work starting next week.
Meanwhile Anton is working on ideas he has to expand our research further as well as hoping to raise some funds with local businesses.
As well as everything else Tara will be taking time out next week to accompany Carol visiting some of the local schools that we support, so that she can get a handle on the needs of our local community.
Busy times and even busier times ahead, but who would want it any other way.

Written by Will Fox

Kudu Leopard

2012-01-28T04:09:00.000-08:00

Ingwe supporter and my neighbour Peet Gerber came across a kudu carcass two days ago that had been killed close to his home on Kudu Game Reserve.
Peet set up a camera trap and has captured some great pictures of the leopard that has returned for the last two nights to feed.
Peet and I hope to get some visual sightings this evening so fingers crossed.
Thereafter we'll start the process of building an ID kit and add that to our data base.
This leopard is operating in the middle of Black Tips territory so it'll be interesting to see what transpires over the next few months.

Written by Will Fox

Tara joins the Ingwe team

2012-01-21T22:55:00.000-08:00

We are very pleased to announce that Tara Pirie is joining the Ingwe Leopard Research team. I figure that those of you who follow Tara's blogs will be ahead of me, and anyone who has watched WildEarth TV over the last couple of years will know Tara well, but for everyone else here is a little more info.

Tara studied zoology in the UK before she decided to come to South Africa to study game ranging 6 years ago. She is one of only a handful of foreign female guides who has achieved the much coveted FGASA (guiding) level 3 qualification. Tara worked at Entabeni for four years progressing to become a head guide. However she wanted to move to the Sabi Sands and joined Safari TV in 2010 where she presented over 1,200 hours of live safari TV shows.

Tara is also very keen on promoting and raising awareness of nature and has been a friend and supporter of Ingwe since being part of the team that caught and collared ‘Lucky’ on the Thaba Tholo reserve in early 2010.

Tara will be leading our research assistant program first from Black Leopard Camp and then moving to the new research camp that is being built in the next couple of months.

Our existing volunteer program will renamed as the Black Leopard Campus as soon as the new camp is ready, but for now click here to find out more about the program and how you can join Tara as a research assistant with Ingwe Leopard Research.

Written by Will Fox

New Volunteers Research Camp

2012-01-19T23:21:00.000-08:00

Exciting news!
Building work on a new volunteer research camp at Thaba Tholo is due to start next week.
The camp will be able to cater for up to ten research volunteers in five units, with separate living quarters, kitchen, team leaders accommodation and of-course a lapa for evenings sat around the fire.
The camp is being built by the Black Leopard Camp owners as part of the upgrade of their facilities and will provide a wonderful base from which to conduct research and a number of other conservation activities on the reserve.
I visited the spot that has been picked out last week and wow, what a beautiful place. There is already a small water hole, which as I approached was surrounded by a heard of mature Water Buck. They showed some interest in my being there, but were relaxed enough to stay around watching me curiously. Very calm behaviour for Water Buck that are usually quite skittish when people are on foot.
Sitting under a tree in a clearing where one of the units will be, it was easy to imagine staying in the camp, enjoying the view with Antelope drinking and grazing. I just hope the volunteers will get some research done!
I'll definitely try and wangle a few nights there myself every now and again.

I'll pass on some pictures as the build progresses.

Written by Will Fox

The often asked question

2012-01-15T01:41:00.000-08:00

A question I am often asked is what is the status or free roaming leopards in South Africa. Its a very hard question to answer as the information is so fragmented. We have a handle on our own research area and are very encouraged by the number of leopards we are recording but what of elsewhere?

The leopard is extremely capable hunters taking a wide range of prey, this adaptability is one of the main reasons why leopards are still free roaming and not confined to protected areas such as national parks. Despite this however, the leopard population is in decline. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation) last assessed the leopard population in 2008 and classified it as near threatened compared to 2002 where they were classified as least concern. Within Southern Africa alone it is estimated that around 35% of the leopards original home range, over the last ten years, has been lost, especially in areas of South Africa and Namibia (Ray et al 2005). Outside protected areas, leopards are threatened by a number of issues. Illegal prosecution by livestock owners and illegal hunters is responsible for the deaths of many leopards through out South Africa. For example studies in the Cape Mountains showed that gin traps killed at least 28 leopards in only 3 years (Hunter. L. 2010). However that does not account for the knock on affects as a result of infanticide that is also caused by these killings. Many species that show infanticide, as the leopard (Panthera pardus) does, have lower reproductive rates when there is high male mortality rate, hence high male turnover in an area (C.Paker et al 2009). This is due to the fact that dominant males are not around to protect their offspring from intruding males who will commit infanticide so fewer cubs survive to adulthood. The number of male leopards that are at risk of being killed at the hand of man is far greater than the number of female (Blame G. and Hunter L. 2004) due to their larger home ranges which increases the chance of them leaving protected areas and roaming farmlands. Unknown numbers of leopard are also killed by other human influences for example road kills.

So we need to do more. And god willing we will.

Written by Will Fox

300mm+ of rain in three days

2012-01-03T07:47:00.000-08:00

The South African summer is hot and wet and this year is no exception. Over the last few days we've had over 300mm of rain locally that generated flash floods and a big clean up operation.
Pictured above is one of our bush roads that turned into a raging river torrent as a flash flood took the easiest route, carrying rocks and debris with it.
Antons pick up truck was parked at the bottom of the road on flat ground where it should have been safe, but took a hammering from the water, and all the mess carried down road/stream. Thankfully it survived and Anton got it going again, which was some good news.
We've had temperatures of 30 today but as I write the thunder and lightning has started again, lights are dipping and I figure we'll loose power agin soon, so I'll sign off.

Written by Will Fox

New Year and a New Leopard

2012-01-01T00:55:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone.

What better way to start the New Year than to find a new leopard in our research zone. Anton happened across this leopard (pic above) as he drove through the Thaba Tholo Wilderness Reserve on his way over to my place to help track Grace. He arrived very excited at his discovery, especially as he had managed to get a quick photo using his phone, so apologies for the quality of the photo.
We now have to build up the picture of this leopard, find out if it is just passing through or is attempting to move in.
One thing is for sure, with the unusual U shaped spot pattern between the eyes, it will be easy to identify in the future.
If it does move in then we'll create an ID kit for it as normal and then find a suitable name. But first things first, we'll see if it stays around in 2012 and if so what the affects are on the other leopards in the area. It's added to our workload but in a good way.

Written by Will Fox

Three nights at TT

2011-12-28T04:36:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, Thaba Tholo Wilderness Reserve is the base for much of our research. We selected Thaba Tholo for many reasons, but primarily because of the abundance of predators. As you can see from the pictures above from one camera trap, which pictured three different predators on three consecutive nights.

Written by Will Fox

Adopt a Leopard

2011-12-15T02:28:00.000-08:00

An adopt a leopard scheme is something that many of you have suggested we implement to help raise funds for our work as well as awareness of the plight of free roaming leopards.
So we have decided to start a scheme admittedly a little late for christmas but for those who haven't bought all their gifts yet, or moreover all who can find it in their hearts to donate, then please follow this link.

In keeping with the work we do, our adopt a leopard scheme will focus on two females that most of you will know. Grace and Diamond. Both have cubs that will be growing to eventually leave home later in 2012 and it is these two families that we will be monitoring closely. Indeed it would be true to say the monitoring these two families epitomises what we do.
The cubs future is not certain. They will eventually disperse (as they become sub adults) gradually roaming away from the protected reserves where they currently are, learning their trade in areas that are predominately mountainous farmland. Most farmers are tolerant and understanding of leopards, but there are still a small number of farms where leopards face human conflict issues. Of-course there also the sadly ever evident poachers snares (no matter how many are removed in time more appear, requiring constant vigilance) and to top it all off there are the usual natural hazards that leopards face finding their own territory and surviving.
Our plan as ever is to work with landowners and the local community to hopefully prevent any deliberate harm coming to these cubs as well as ensuring their mothers remain safe on their current home ranges. As ever we need funds to do this. All funds received will be collected and deposited in the bank account of PAW Conservation Trust, which in turn funds Ingwe Leopard Research. In that way we can open our audited accounts for all contributors.

Animal adoptions can make wonderful ethical gifts so why not treat a friend or family member to one of the wonderful Ingwe adoption packs and be safe in the knowledge that you have contributed towards helping the African leopards to survive.

You will receive

A fact booklet about your adopted leopard
A photograph of your adopted leopard
Updates on your leopard in the Ingwe 4-monthly newsletter calledIngwe Now
A sponsorship certificate
New for Christmas 2011 a gift certificate with a personal Christmas note to the recipient.

We have modified our website a little with some new pics etc so it would be helpful if you could let us know if you spot any errors, misaligned pages etc. Please go to the home page and click on the adverts if possible, we get a small fee from Google for every advert viewed.

Written by Will Fox

Brownie at TT

2011-12-06T07:40:00.001-08:00

I've just had a couple of pics sent through from Anton who is holding the fort at Thaba Tholo. He is very pleased to be getting data on Brown Hyena as well as Leopards and other predators. Long may it continue.

Written by Will Fox

Briefing from MTPA scientists

2011-11-26T05:35:00.001-08:00

Its taken longer than we thought but Anton has started the Golden Mole Project at Thaba Tholo. We've been delayed in getting the mole traps manufactured locally (Lydenburg time is much slower than other places!). And also there hasn't been a lot of mole activity until now, but with the recent rains that has changed.
We have to move quickly as our permit runs out at the end of the year by which time we hope to have two new specimens for DNA analysis.
Pictured above is Anton together with Ingwe volunteers and Black Leopard Camp guests being briefed at the beginning of this project by a scientist from MTPA (out of shot).
I'm holding the tree up at the back.

To give you a little more information on this project here is an excerpt from a paper written by Dr Sarita Maree of Pretoria University. Sarita will be carrying out the DNA analysis.

"A new population of golden moles were discovered in the area in 2004. The exact taxonomic ststus of this population is yet unclear, but preliminary phylogenetic analyses based on DNA sequences and observed genetic distances separating this population from other known golden mole species suggest it being most closely related to Gunnings golden mole. The latter is an endangered species that is traditionally only known from a very restricted area near Tzaneen......
The importance of conducting a thorough specialist study to assess the presence and extent of occurrence of golden moles and demarcate areas of potentially suitable habitat cannot be emphasised enough.

Fingers crossed that we can finally catch two more and then hopefully use the results from this work to not only protect the species but their habitat as well.

Written by Will Fox

Kudu leopard, Graces cub?

2011-11-13T01:41:00.001-08:00

This picture was taken last night by Romy Antrobus at Kudu Game Ranch. Romy is an ecologist who is helping us with GIS mapping of the reserve such that we can record a variety of ecological data including our camera trap images. By using GIS we will be able to collate and map individual leopard territories on Kudu Game Ranch (soon to be denoted as Kudu Private Nature Reserve).
Romy was thrilled to have not only seen a leopard for the first time on Kudu but also to enjoy such a relaxed leopard sighting. This cat was not worried at all by the presence of a game drive vehicle and sat patiently for a twenty minute photo call. We believe this young female is one of Graces cubs but we'll be able to confirm that with more analysis of the spot patterns.
Its great to once again see just how relaxed the leopards in our research area have become over the last three or four years. Long may it continue, we just hope that some of the local cattle ranchers will share our love of leopards. The majority do, but there are still a few 'dyed in the wool' old timers who think the only answer is a gun. Just look at the pictures, that should say it all.

Written by Will Fox

Antons can't resist

2011-11-04T02:36:00.000-07:00

Anton can't resist a leopard

I have been involved with wildlife conservation for quite a while and know how passionate people are about conservation, especially those who sacrifice everything to follow that path. Ingwe's project manager Anton is one such person. Not only does he dedicate every waking moment to leopard conservation and helping to raise funds for his research by leading safaris for OTS (profits go to PAW Conservation Trust and in turn Ingwe), but his love for leopards keeps growing (if that is possible).
Pictured above leading an OTS safari, he couldn't resist filming this Sabi Sands leopard. His enthusiasm for the bush, nature and of-course leopards is contagious.

Written by Will Fox
PAW Conservation trust

PS: Please click on the adverts, every click raises funds for our work in conservation.

An unexpected find

2011-10-26T06:28:00.000-07:00

We left the python's remains where we found it and placed a camera on it , hoping something interesting would find it. We left it out there for a few days before going back to check the results. When we got to the area of the snake we found it untouched. We were surprised as well as disappointed. We walked over to it to check the camera. The only thing that was different was the fact that it was all dried up from the sun and it had hundreds of insects all over it, but other then that nothing had changed. I put the SD card in my camera , not really expecting to find anything, but just to know for sure. I went through the pictures and discovered twelve beautiful pictures of a unknown leopard. It came right up to the snake and sniffed it but then turned and walked away. It left the snake there untouched. The reason for this is a mystery to us, it would've been no effort for the leopard but for some reason it didn't even bother and disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. We haven't been able to identify the leopard yet, but it is exciting to know that there might be a new leopard in the area.

Written by Esmarie, Ingwe volunteer

Cub possibly dead, is it one of Diamonds?

2011-10-25T03:13:00.000-07:00

We have some good news for you guys following the horrible news of the python. We had an upsetting call saying that a leopard cub has been hit by a car. We had a few different reports about it, some saying that it is dead, others that said it was still alive, but injured. We were all worried but there was no way to say for sure if it was one of Diamond’s cubs or not. Later that day we went for a drive and heard a Kudu barking, we followed the sound to see if we could spot a leopard, we found Impala focused, alarm calling and it was clear that there was a predator near, We waited a while but soon it was too dark to see so we left the spot and started back to the camp. We were all disappointed that we didn’t find anything , we were hoping to find Diamond and the cubs, just to see if they were all still fine or that the cub that was hit by a car was in fact one of diamonds. We were just starting to go up the mountain when the Landover’s lights caught a pair of eyes in the middle of the road. It was without a doubt a leopard cub. It ran to the side of the path where Diamond and the other two were waiting. They stood there staring at us for a few minutes and then walked off. The next day we took a walk down to the valley and found a lot of spoor of Diamond and the cubs. It appears that Diamond keeps her cubs in the same area and that she is taking good care of them. We were all very happy to see all three cubs alive and well. We don’t know if the cub hit by the car survived or not, but at least we know these babies are well.

Written by Esmarie, Ingwe volunteer

Shocking Python Death!

2011-10-22T00:25:00.001-07:00

Unfortunately we have some very sad news to report. The female python we found laying eggs that we were so excited about finding has been found dead! Esmarie (volunteer) and myself when walking decided to pass by and do a routine check on the snake, not really expecting to find her even out of her den. Not seeing her we approached the hole however Esmarie spotted her coiled in the grass. It quickly dawned on us that the snake was not moving. On closer inspection it was clear she had died just hours before, her body was still warm and rigor mortis had not currently set in. This was a terrible shock. From such a high point of expecting new hatchings and this endangered species to the loss of this huge old female and all of her eggs. We expected that she had some complications delivering the eggs, as the end section was extremely full still of eggs, which then rotted inside of her and caused infection to spread through out her. However none of us are vets and we can only speculate. A very sad day!

Written by Emma Loader, ILP Researcher

Emma

2011-10-19T05:34:00.000-07:00

As you all know zoologist Emma Loader has been with Ingwe Leopard for the last fourteen months. At the end of October Em will be taking a well earned break and heading home to the UK for a couple of months to attend a family wedding and to spend Christmas with her Mum and Dad.
Ingwe is a small but very tight team, who all put in hundreds of man hours without pay in the cause of large predator research. Emma epitomises this approach and as well as being a very able scientist is a dedicated conservationist. She is also great fun, always smiling and has a wonderfully bright out look no matter what the circumstances (which can often be hard going in the bush).
As you will have seen from all her blogs Emma has achieved some great results in monitoring and tracking our study Leopards and I hope you have all enjoyed her reports.
As is only natural when you monitor animals so closely, she has grown particularly fond on several individual leopards and I know will be worrying about 'her three cubs' while she is away. But rest assured that Anton will be around to continue her work and I know she will be badgering him for updates on a daily basis and Skyping to check everything is going well.

Emma, on behalf of well...... everyone associated with Ingwe. I want to thank you for all you have done for us so far. She'll give me a hard time for saying that publicly but I know that our friends around the world feel the same way. Next year will no doubt bring fresh challenges and as ever funding will be an issue, but with a dedicated and passionate team we'll make it through.

Oh and on that subject, please please click on the advertisements that are on both our blog and website www.ingweleopard.com We've raised $65 so far from Google ads which is a great start but please keep on clicking.

Written by Will Fox

African rock python , with eggs.

2011-10-14T06:41:00.000-07:00

To see an African rock python in the wild is an extremely rare sighting especially if it is about 4-5 meters long and we got to experience it twice in one day. We went for a morning drive and found it by its regular spot, but this time it was out of its hole. Usually we just found some of its skin at the bottom but this time she gave us quite a show. We noticed that the snake had a bump at the back of its body and just assumed that it ate something small, but little did we know. We left it in peace so it could bath in the morning sun. Later that day we went on a drive again and went down the same path, we knew it was the path on which the python lived but it was already after four in the afternoon so we weren’t expecting to see it. We got there and saw nothing, we assumed it was in its hole but sudden movement proved us wrong. It was in the grass underneath, just about to return to it’s hole. While it was entering the hole we went closer to investigate, we could see that the bump in the back was still there and found it strange that the bump was so large so far down her body. When we couldn’t see her anymore we went closer and discovered a bunch of freshly laid eggs in the hole. We realised that the bump she has isn’t from something she ate, but that it is probably more eggs waiting to be laid. Exciting find that we will keep you all updated on!

Written by Esmarie, Ingwe volunteer

We need your help on this one!

2011-10-14T04:22:00.000-07:00

We are having an on going debate with in the Ingwe team. We got a beautiful picture of Diamond and her cubs recently, and that’s what got the debate started. In the picture you can clearly see Diamond and two cubs walking down the path, but then when you look more closely at the cubs it appears that there is a third cub standing at the back on the left side of the second cub. Half of the team members say that its just the second cub’s hind leg that is showing and the other half of the team thinks that is the front of a third cub. So what do you think, does it look like two cubs or three?

Written by Esmarie, Ingwe volunteer

You can help us to raise funds and it doesn't cost you a penny

2011-10-13T06:39:00.000-07:00

We have added advertising to both our blogs and website www.ingweleopard.com to help raise funds for our work in conservation. We need you to click on the ads view them and every time you do then we get a very small payment, so the more you click the more we make. We also hope that you'll find some interesting offers from the adverts.
Please help us, it doesn't cost you a penny but it gives us a small income. A win win for everyone.
Written by Will Fox

2011-10-13T04:24:00.000-07:00

A quick update for you all and excellent news once again. Throughout September FS7 (Diamond) and her cubs were visually seen twice. She and the three little ones, now 6 months old were relaxed and full bellied at both sightings showing that diamond is proving to be an outstanding mother so far, feeding herself and her cubs well. She was seen almost two weeks apart within the same area showing she is not moving far obviously feeling safe and having enough food in that area. Despite this being the same area in which our cameras are currently placed she avoided them well. That is until the beginning of October, in which we have photographed her and the cubs on several nights. Above shows one of the cubs following his (or her) siblings ( if you look closely you can see the glow of the other cubs eyes in the distance). Whenever the cubs have been photographed it has been within the very early hours of the morning, typical times for leopards to be active. However more unusually, we have also recently captured their mother walking without them at 1pm in the afternoon. About 2 weeks ago , the leg of a waterbuck calf was found dragged into the road and then coincidentally disgaurded by a set of cameras. The scent of this rotting flesh must have been too inviting to resist checking out even in the heat of the day. However finding there was little meat left she quickly moved off again, most likely back to her cubs and the shade!

Written Emma Loader, Ingwe Leopard Researcher.

Leopard Cubs Alive and Well

2011-09-28T04:02:00.001-07:00

We have had a great sighting of a diamond and her cubs in the Thaba Tholo game reserve. On a night drive we found two of the cubs sitting on the road with the mother and third cub waiting further into the bush. The two cubs then ran off the road and tried to hide in the long grass before joining the mother and third cub. Leopard cubs are most vulnerable in their first few months often falling prey to baboons, snakes and possibly male leopards. These cubs have not been sighted in 3 months so it is great to see they are all doing well. There has also been increased leopard activity detected in the area with an adult female - FS40- captured by the camera traps walking along the road (pictured) and the spoor of several separate individuals traced. These were from a large adult male, a young male and an adult female leopard found along roads in the reserve.

Written by Freya Muller, Inwe volunteer

Black-Backed Jackals on Thaba Tholo

2011-09-28T03:50:00.000-07:00

There have recently been several instances of Black-Backed Jackal detected in the Thaba Tholo game reserve. In the past year there has been no sign of this species however during September a number of individuals have been photographed on camera traps in the area. Black-Backed Jackals prey largely on small mammals and are mainly nocturnal. Their presence in the reserve suggests that the system is stabilising, allowing new species to move into the area. This normally indicates a healthy ecosystem.

Written by Freya Muller, Ingwe volunteer