Modern Weights and Measurements of Leopards

[Pckts]

Taking the same premise for our Tiger thread and making a leopard thread and we should make a Lion, Jaguar and Cougar thread as well.


Some of the weights are from posters in other forums, I'll make sure to give them Credit.

Find from @kurtz
@kurtzNamibia Okonjima.

Kobo male leopard, 69 kilograms, but only 4 years old

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https://www.facebook.com/AfriCatNamibiaHQ/posts/1841831809385385

@1977marc
Very intereting info from a ( average ) prime male leopard in The Sabi Sands.

I contacted the man who was part of the team of darting and collaring this male leopard Gerrie Camacho.
They weighted Rhulani and he weighted 74 kg.

He said that for a prime leopard in this area that is not a huge male....
So as I said before, Sabi Sands holds some male over 80 kg or even 90kg plus...
https://www.facebook.com/AfriCatNamibiaHQ/posts/1841831809385385


@chui
"Here's a general summary of this project: Aspects of the ecology of leopards (Panthera pardus) in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve, Botswana

I do know that a particularly big male captured by this project was weighed at 76kg, again can't find the original webpage but that's what I have noted down. This male, named Skebengwa, unfortunately died after a fairly minor wound got very badly infected. You can read about him here: Tribute to a King

Another photo of "Skebengwa", looks like a short chunky male."

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NEW UNKNOWN LEOPARD COLLARED
Team AfriCat collared a new male leopard last night. A seemingly old male approx. 8 - 10 years.
Body Measurements:
Weight: 67 kg
Shoulder height: 76 cm
Body length: 82 cm
He is in good physical condition with no visible injuries, we collared, microchipped and gave him a rabies shot. After allowing him time to recover from last nights immobilization, we released him this morning.
We have a large presence of leopards within the Okonjima Nature Reserve that lived in the area before we completed the boundary fence in 2010. The AfriCat/Okonjima Predator Prey Density Study, has given us the opportunities to research the number of unknown cats that occur within the 22 000ha park area! Giving us a chance to understanding their territories and learn more about their behaviour as a species.
The Okonjima Nature Reserve (Lat/Lon: 20º49’19.36’’S, 16º38’21.25’’E) is located in central Namibia approximately 50 km south of Otjiwarongo and compromises a total area of 22 000 ha. The study area is semi-arid and characterized by a marked seasonality. The annual precipitation averages approximately 450 mm. The Okonjima farm boundary traces a central plateau, on average an altitude of 1 600 meters, surrounded by the Omboroko Mountains. The vegetation can be mainly described as tree- and scrub savannah, interspersed with Yellow wood (Terminalia sericea) and several Acacia-species. Artificially constructed water reservoirs ensure the perennial supply of surface water.
Okonjima was used intensively for the purpose of cattle farming from 1920 until 1993. Since then the private nature reserve has been used for carnivore rehabilitation and non-consumptive use of wildlife through eco-tourism.
The reserve is surrounded by a 96 km electrified perimeter fence, completed in 2010, and is bordered entirely by commercial farmland. An additional fence is erected within the reserve and creates a 20 000 ha reserve for carnivore rehabilitation and a 2 000 ha "lodge area" that includes lodges and campsites as well as the AfriCat headquarters and the Environmental Education Centre.
Leopards as well as brown hyenas (Hyena brunnae) occur naturally within the borders while cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) and spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) are part of AfriCat’s rehabilitation program that have been released into the area. Lions (Panthera leo) are absent from the study area. Thus, leopards belong to the apex predators in the reserve that are playing an important role in maintaining the health of the ecosystem.
‪#‎AfriCat‬ ‪#‎namibia‬ ‪#‎carnivore‬ ‪#‎conservation‬ ‪#‎leopard‬ ‪#‎research‬ ‪#‎survival‬ ‪#‎park‬ ‪#‎nonprofit‬
http://www.africat.org/proj…/the-africat-predator-population-
density-study-in-the-okonjima-nature-reserve/aoppds-phase-1

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Nkosi Okonjima 61 kg.

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this is how a 65-70kg male leopard looks like
Mafala

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Mafana dead
SAYING GOODBYE TO OUR BIG BOY MAFANA - the end of a legend that will live on forever...
We are all very saddened by the death of one another one of our legendary leopard males. Unfortunately the threat of younger and stronger territorial males is a big reality for the old boys within the Okonjima Nature Reserve.
EACH IMAGE posted will be accompanied by a personal tribute to MAFANA written by Okonjima Guides & AfriCat Research team members who have spent years getting to know & love this big boy.
Known for his INTENSE and MESMERISING stare, these are some of his best captures!
May you Rest In Peace!!!
"Saying good bye to Mafana is difficult. Fell in love with him from the first moment I saw him which was three years ago. At that stage he was still uncollared having lost his collar in a fight. I had a special connection with Mafana, he gave me brilliant sightings (depending on his mood) which included my first leopard hunt."
Rest in peace Big Boy
Richard - Okonjima Guide
‪#‎AfriCat‬ ‪#‎namibia‬ ‪#‎leopard‬ ‪#‎carnivore‬ ‪#‎conservation‬ ‪#‎nonprofit‬ ‪#‎RIP‬ ‪#‎Mafana‬ ‪#‎research‬ ‪#‎wildlifephotography‬ ‪#‎wildlifeconservation‬
Medical Finding of The Okonjima Nature Reserve's wild, free-roaming, male leopard: MAFANA, about 13/14 years of age on the 13th June 2016 during and after an emergency operation:
Dr. D Rodenwoldt
http://www.africat.org/…/…/our-vet-team/diethardt-rodenwoldt
LAST WEIGHTS: 2010: 67kg 2012: 70kg 2014: 65kg 2016: 64kg
Sunday, late afternoon an Okonjima guide reported a severe injury to the body of the male leopard called Mafana. A more thorough investigation by AfriCat, concluded that Mafana should be immediately be attended to due to some superficial and extensive, deep muscle and rib fracture injuries. He was darted and given fluids, painkillers and antibiotics and the part-time AfriCat veterinarian was immediately contacted who was unfortunately 500km from AfriCat HQ at the time.
Under anesthesia the next morning, while opening up the various skin and muscle wounds, ribs 6,7,8 were either fractured or crushed, causing a left sided pneumothorax with one loose rib chip piece, protruding to the outside, with severe intercostal muscle and skin lacerations.
The left middle and diaphragmatic lung lobes were also punctured, which caused a localized pulmonary emphysema.
Due to the extend and severity of the trauma some fluid started to accumulate inside the left chest cavity (hydro-thorax), which already showed signs of being infected. Despite intense supportive treatment applied before and during the operation, he passed away while under aneasthetic.
The massive soft tissue damage, the multiple rib fractures, with the pain factor endured, the start of an infection, associated with an upcoming toxemia with its metabolic effect on other organs in the body, all contributed to a weakened heart, giving the operation only a minimal chance and ending terminal.
We believe all wounds resulted from another territorial fight. Each one claiming their territory. The deep skin lacerations on both sides from the shoulder, top back and upper loin area were most likely inflicted by the claws. The left side mid upper rib fractures and penetration into the thorax, we believe was caused by the canine teeth bite.
Normally a leopard would hold and kill its prey by the neck, but it seemed that Mafana could have been surprised by his competition while on a kill . . .
We suspect, while Mafana was eating a freshly killed antelope, the other male possibly stalked from behind, attacking him by surprise. Mafana, at the last moment, must have become aware of an eminent upcoming danger and leapt forward, trying to escape the onslaught, but still caught in the jump, thus resulting in the specific location of the wound sites, which were predominantly behind the should on his back and across his spine.

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NAME: Wahu
GENDER: Male
AGE: (2016) 18 years
WEIGHT: (2013) 57.2Kg (2014) 57.2Kg (2015) 62.2Kg
ORIGIN: Omaruru
SIBLINGS: None
ARRIVED AT AFRICAT: 13 June 1998
REASON FOR CAPTIVITY: Cannot be set free for he was hand-raised and has now become too habituated. Tame leopards that are released back into the wild can be very dangerous, for they lose their natural fear of man.

Wahu is one of our leopards at AfriCat's Carnivore Care Centre.
WAHU has been at AfriCat since he was a week old. A farmer contacted AfriCat to pick up a cheetah cub that he had just caught on his farm. We rushed to its rescue only to find that it was actually a leopard cub. Wahoo’s eyes were still closed as he was just a few days old. Due to his young age he had to be hand-reared which has obviously habituated him and he is unsuitable for release. He currently lives in a 12-acre enclosure here at AfriCat and is regularly seen by school groups and guests. Wahu is one of AfriCat’s great ambassadors!
http://www.africat.org/index.php?option=...3Aadoption

This male captured for research in the Tuli reserve in the south east corner of Botswana was weighed at 63kg. A fairly typical looking mature male from Southern Africa IMO.

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[Pckts]

@Kurtz wrote
"Tyson @ Phinda was 71 kilos with an empty belly(when Balme weigghed him accurately)
Frodo was probably the biggest @ Phinda with 75 kilos before he vanished(yet unpublished but Tristan Dickerson told me in a mail).
Frodo at only 2-3 years old was just 65 kilos shocking weight at this age(Balme published)
Boz male was 65 kilos with an enormous neck and well developed shoulders(Balme)
Menzi male is probably 70 plus kilos and the most territorial male @ Phinda

So some cocnclusion:
Tyson was 71 kilos with the neck circumference 4 cm learger than the widest point of his big Head!!!
A male leopard @ 65 kilos start begin a very very very very very impressive animal

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85 kilos is a guiness leopard and rare. " Reply

[Pckts]

@1977marc wrote
"He is a well known male in the Sands and whore a collar for years which they removed and the rangers told that he then weighed 97 kg

Arno Pietersen made this picture and tol me that when they put the collar on he was 84 kg. He has got his information directly from the rangers involved and the vets!!"

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Vin Diesel Male



A NEW COLLAR FOR .NKOSI..
This morning Team AfriCat was able to successfully provide Nkosi - one of our resident male leopards in the 20 000 ha Okonjima Nature Reserve - with a brand new VHF - collar. His previous collar started to cause difficulties over the past few weeks - making it difficult for the guides and AfriCat’s research team to regularly keep on track with him. In order to avoid complete failure, Dr. David Roberts, who currently is spending the week at the AfriCat headquarters, darted Nkosi early this morning.
Apart from a few minor scratch marks, Nkosi is in good health condition. With a weight of 61 kg is he the smallest among our big male leopards in the reserve. Usually occupying a territory in the eastern part of the reserve, Nkosi has previously been observed to expand his familiar ranges into the northern and eastern direction.

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here some more pictures wsich Kurtz posted. By then he was 70 kg
A few more measurements for you on Nkozi: Shoulder height: 0.78m; body length: 0.98m; upper canine: 4.3 cm - lower canine: 3.5 cm



AfriCat Namibia
24 januari om 15:52
WAHU, OUR FAMOUS FELINE AMBASSADOR...
... is with his impressive 16 years of age the oldest ambassador at AfriCat’s Carnivore Care Centre. Over the years he was visited by school groups, volunteers and guests from around the world and is most likely the most photographed carnivore on Okonjima who even made it onto 2014’s National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest.
Last Thursday Dr. Ulf Tubbesing volunteered his time to dart and perform a thorough examination on Wahu, who lost a considerable amount of weight within the last few months.
His current weight of 52.8 kg confirmed that he lost about 5 kg within one year. During the clinical examination Dr. Tubbesing couldn’t find any serious clinical abnormalities. An ultrasound machine was used to exclude a possible abdominal growth. Lymph nodes, kidneys and spleen appeared normal; heart - lung sounds were inconspicuous. A blood smear revealed a slight elevation of leukocytes suggesting a mild infection/inflammation. No parasites were visible in the blood.
After awaiting the final results of hematology and serology we can say with relief that all in all and considering his age - Wahu is in good shape. The biochemistry analysis showed an elevation in Urea which is typical in carnivores that are on a high protein diet. Total protein, cholesterol and calcium were slightly elevated and low, respectively, but, according to Dr. Tubbesing, don’t seem to be of significance.
We say thank you Dr. Tubbesing for his kind assistance and hope that Wahu will act as ambassador for his wild counterparts for many more years.
Read more about Wahu: http://www.africat.org/index.php…





@1977marc wrote
"Here some new pictures of this 97kg male form the Sabi Sands. Good to see next to a vehicle ho massive this boy is"

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"he is 97 kg man eater. He was weighted twice, 93 kg and 97 kg by vets and rangers. He was collared "


the 65.5 kilos beast: Mafana

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I am a Master Measurer and did measure it several times. The score ended up to be 18 4/16(dry), the body was not that long(7.2 feet), he weighed 185 pounds. Length and weight are irrelevant, because if he had a full stomach, he would have weighed over 200 pounds. Something very interesting I thought, was that his tail had a circumference at the base of 10 inches."

Officially from SCI this cat will be the new # 8 on SCI in all of Africa and will be the new record taken out of Namibia Reply

[Pckts]

Tracking leopards with GPS collars in South Africa

The collars are set to take a position five times a day and I attempt to locate the animals once a month to download all the stored locations.

Both collared leopards are males.  The first, M26, is approximately three-years-old, weighs 55 kg, and was captured on the 24/6/05. At this age he would almost certainly still be a transient individual; ranging over a large area, avoiding adult resident males and looking for a territory in which to possibly settle.  We have received 197 fixes (Figure 2) from the first two months of data.  Home range size using a 95% Fixed Kernel Analysis is 58km2 (Figure 3). Interestingly, his home range appears to be relatively linear in shape, stretching from southern boundary all the way up through the central portion of the reserve.  He has not yet moved out of the Conservancy.

The second male, M25, was initially captured on the 2/6/05 and a VHF radio-collar placed on him. We recaptured him on the 5/7/05 and the VHF collar was exchanged for a GPS collar.  Judging from tooth wear, he is older than M26 (estimated between four and six years), although he only weighed one kilogram more.  We have downloaded 134 locations (Figure 1) from the collar and he is using a home range of approximately 57km2 (Figure 2).  This area is predominantly made up of the mountainous regions in the south and the west of the park, though he has crossed out of the Conservancy on at least one occasion into a neighbouring Zulu community.

Figure 1. Camera trap photograph of male leopard M26 taken on the 23/7/05.

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Taking measurements of male leopard M25 prior to placing on GPS collar 1883

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[Pckts]

From AfriCat Namibia:

JAGU GETS A NEW COLLAR
A couple of months ago Jagu’s (AKA JAGUAR) collar started malfunctioning.

‘Technology’ still the main challenge when you try and research carnivores over a period of many years – the constant malfunctioning collars are a headache and can often be the reason a carnivore is ‘lost’, moving out of range or not found again for some reason, due to a collar’s signal that cannot be picked up by the trackers/researchers before its ‘expire date’ – either from the ground or from the air?

A researchers ‘nightmare’, mainly because a collar needs to be removed if the cat can no longer be monitored closely!! The constant darting does make some predators more and more suspicious and to re-collar an intelligent animal becomes a cat-&-mouse-game between researcher and carnivore...

Sometimes they suddenly stop transmitting because of a fight between 2 large carnivores or from a knock/kick from prey during a hunt or worst case scenario which luckily does not often happen - the odd, disgruntled farmer or hunter that shoots the monitored animal and destroys the collar by burying it or burning it or smashing the units to pieces. . . . however sometimes its just ‘failing technology’!

Jagu was collard last year in September. He was called Jagu due to his big dark spot patterns, similar to a ‘jaguar’ spot pattern and because he is a very large male. On Thursday night 13 October he walked into the bated boxtrap and was caught. Dr. Rodenwoldt did the darting. He weighed in at 64kg. Only 1 kilogram less than last year when he was collard.

After he was collard last year he was very shy, but this year has become more and more tolerant of human company and during the past few months the Okonjima guides have been getting beautiful sightings of him, sleeping hunting marking his territory –just being a very independent, confident, territorial male.

Sadly last week he was responsible for the death of one of our absolute favourite females – SHANTI.

A shock to all. When carnivores kill each other for no apparent reason, we find ourselves questioning their behavior and reasoning – yet again realizing just how little we understand of the carnivore world!

#AfriCat #Namibia #leopard #research #wildlifeconservation #survival #nonprofit #Okonjima
https://goo.gl/NLJsP0
https://www.facebook.com/AfriCatNamibiaHQ/posts/1830006200567946

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KIBO
Named after one of the three dormant volcanic cones situated on Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya. He was collared at the Birding dam on the day of the presidential election.

Weight: 69 kg
Body length: 105 cm
Shoulder height: 78 cm
Upper canine: 3.6 cm; lower canine: 3.5 cm

Good condition, approx. 4 years old. Regularly captured on camera traps during the Okonjima AfriCat Leopard Density Study.

Based on home range analysis of the camera trap appearances, Pp 11-aka - KIBO has covered 71km2, the largest area of all captured individuals ranging from the very south-east to the northern part of the Okonjima Nature Reserve.

We are excited to have him part of the research project & cannot wait to get to know him better!

#HappyFriday 
#AfriCat #Namibia #leopard #research #wildlifeconservation #education #Okonjima #bigcats
https://goo.gl/AnSrzX

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[Pckts]

From AfriCat Namibia:

NEW UNKNOWN LEOPARD COLLARED
Team AfriCat collared a new male leopard last night. A seemingly old male approx. 8 - 10 years.

Body Measurements:
Weight: 67 kg
Shoulder height: 76 cm
Body length: 82 cm

He is in good physical condition with no visible injuries, we collared, microchipped and gave him a rabies shot. After allowing him time to recover from last nights immobilization, we released him this morning.

We have a large presence of leopards within the Okonjima Nature Reserve that lived in the area before we completed the boundary fence in 2010. The AfriCat/Okonjima Predator Prey Density Study, has given us the opportunities to research the number of unknown cats that occur within the 22 000ha park area! Giving us a chance to understanding their territories and learn more about their behaviour as a species.

The Okonjima Nature Reserve (Lat/Lon: 20º49’19.36’’S, 16º38’21.25’’E) is located in central Namibia approximately 50 km south of Otjiwarongo and compromises a total area of 22 000 ha. The study area is semi-arid and characterized by a marked seasonality. The annual precipitation averages approximately 450 mm. The Okonjima farm boundary traces a central plateau, on average an altitude of 1 600 meters, surrounded by the Omboroko Mountains. The vegetation can be mainly described as tree- and scrub savannah, interspersed with Yellow wood (Terminalia sericea) and several Acacia-species. Artificially constructed water reservoirs ensure the perennial supply of surface water.

Okonjima was used intensively for the purpose of cattle farming from 1920 until 1993. Since then the private nature reserve has been used for carnivore rehabilitation and non-consumptive use of wildlife through eco-tourism.

The reserve is surrounded by a 96 km electrified perimeter fence, completed in 2010, and is bordered entirely by commercial farmland. An additional fence is erected within the reserve and creates a 20 000 ha reserve for carnivore rehabilitation and a 2 000 ha "lodge area" that includes lodges and campsites as well as the AfriCat headquarters and the Environmental Education Centre.

Leopards as well as brown hyenas (Hyena brunnae) occur naturally within the borders while cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) and spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) are part of AfriCat’s rehabilitation program that have been released into the area. Lions (Panthera leo) are absent from the study area. Thus, leopards belong to the apex predators in the reserve that are playing an important role in maintaining the health of the ecosystem.

#AfriCat #namibia #carnivore #conservation #leopard #research #survival #park #nonprofit
http://www.africat.org/the-africat-okonj...dy-phase-1 Reply

[Ngala]

An old male was fitted with a GPS-satellite collar in Tandoureh
Published by Future4Leopards February 5, 2015

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An old male was captured to be third leopard fitted with GPS satellite collar in Tandoureh. In early night of 5 February 2015, Borzou, was captured in a snare trap in northern Tandoureh National Park, the closest trapping location to Turkmenistan border. Weighted 57 kg, the leopard seemed healthy, but with weak dental conditions, likely due to aging. He was completely new to the Project team and was not detected before based on photographic records provided by rangers and visitors.
Safely sedated by the Project associated vet Iman Memarian, the anesthetizing procedure went smooth and the collar was deployed and activated. After 45 minutes, the animal received an antidote to reverse the anesthesia, and then he walked away.
Surprisingly, the collar did not sent any GPS fixes for the first two weeks of deployment, while the animal was walking in nearby mountains. Therefore, after spending two weeks to spot the animal and to try for re-capturing to fix the collar, suddenly the collar started to retrieve data. We never understood why this happened, but after two weeks of attempts and frustration, that was fortune moment to see the collar working. Spending most of the time among rocks in a heavy cloudy weather was the probable cause of mis-performance.

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[Ngala]

Tandoureh, a newly collared leopard in Iran
Published by Future4Leopards December 6, 2016

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During our ongoing capturing operations carried out by the Project Future4Leopards in northeastern Iran, a new leopard was captured and fitted with satellite collar. The leopard, an adult male weighting around 75 kg, was captured using snare traps set around a waterhole in Tandoureh National Park. Immobilization was carried out by Behrang Ekrami, an Iranian renowned vet and the animal was equipped with a satellite GPS collar. We called him Tandoureh, to remind us how important in Tandoureh National Park for survival of the Persian leopards in Iran and even beyond.

Since 2014, the Project has been working in Tandoureh to study the Persian leopard ecology, making it a comprehensive effort to understand less-known aspects of the leopard life in montane landscapes on west Asia. So far, a total of six Persian leopards have been fitted with satellite collars in the area and invaluable information about their ranging and behavior have been obtain to shape proper conservation plans for protecting the leopards’ areas in Iran.

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[Ngala]

From WCS Russia, October 20, 2008: Scientists capture critically-endangered Far Eastern leopard

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On Saturday, October 18, scientists working in southwestern Primorsky Krai, Russia under a joint project of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the Institute of Biology and Soils (IBS), Russian Academy of Sciences Far Eastern Branch captured an adult female Far Eastern (Amur) leopard. The Far Eastern leopard, Panthera pardus orientalis, is perhaps the world’s most endangered big cat, with an estimated 25-40 individuals inhabiting a narrow strip of land along the Russian-Chinese border in the far southeastern corner of the Russian Federation.

The leopardess captured on Saturday, whom scientists named "Alyona,"  is the second female (and fourth leopard) to undergo biomedical assessment since the WCS Russia Program and IBS began working together in fall 2006. Biomedical assessments during captures allow scientists to evaluate the health status and potential effects of inbreeding depression in the tiny leopard population, which experts believe contains no more than 10-15 females.
 
Preliminary health analyses revealed that Alyona is in good physical condition, weighing in at 39 kg, or 85 lbs (average weight for female leopards is 30-35 kg) at an age of 8-10 years. Although she has given birth before, absence of lactation indicates that she currently has no kittens. The area where she was captured is visited by a male leopard previously captured by WCS and IBS. Specialists are continuing analysis of blood samples taken on Saturday as well as an electrocardiogram.
 
During captures scientists use electrocardiograms to detect heart defects in leopards, take blood samples to obtain genetic information to assess levels of inbreeding, and examine overall health, looking for any abnormalities. Three leopards captured previously (2 males and 1 female) in 2006 and 2007 all exhibited significant heart murmurs, which may reflect genetic disorders. Biomedical and genetic research is critical to determining the risks posed by inbreeding to Far Eastern leopards, and what can be done to mitigate these risks. Scientists are considering introducing individuals to supplement the current population or establishing a second population in former leopard range.
 
Alyona was captured on the territory of the Borisovskoye Plateau Wildlife Refuge, one of the three protected areas existing in the Far Eastern leopard’s range. These 3 territories, which together encompass approximately 50% of leopard habitat in Russia, play an important role in conservation of the world’s most northern leopard sub-species.
 
Capture activities are overseen by representatives of the Russian federal agency “Inspection Tiger,” a special department of the Ministry of Natural Resources.
 
“Scientific work to capture Amur tigers and Far Eastern leopards in this part of Primorsky Krai has always been distinguished by the participation of world-class specialists and the best in equipment and methodologies,” said Sergei Zubtsov, the head of Inspection Tiger. “I want to note that the leopard captured for medical analysis and released on October 18 represents another achievement for this highly-qualified team, and that one of the most important things is that she was not harmed at any point in the capture process. I hope that such fruitful collaboration will continue in the future.”
 
Over the last 100 years Far Eastern leopard numbers have been reduced via overhunting and poaching combined with a classic fragmentation-extinction process from agricultural and urban development. However, both camera-trapping and snow-tracking surveys indicate that the population has been stable for the last 30 years, but with a high rate of turnover of individuals. If inbreeding depression or disease do not “derail” this population, the potential for increasing survival rates and habitat recovery in both Russia and Northeast China is great. Given Russian and international commitment, the leopard population has great chances for recovery from the brink of extinction.
 
This leopard research project was begun by the WCS Russia and IBS in fall 2006, with other collaborators including the Zoological Society of London, Wildlife Vets International, and the National Cancer Institute. Reply

[Pckts]

SHIMLA: When a team of local hunters and forest officers shot a leopard in the forests of Bilaspur Himachal Pradesh on Friday, they were only bringing down a man-eater that had spread fear in the area. But a routine measuring of the animal after the hunt made them realise that this was no ordinary wild cat. At eight feet seven inches from head to tail, it could well be one of the longest big cats of its species.

According to records available with government agencies in the state, the longest leopard until now has measured 8 feet and 2 inches. Himachal Pradesh principal secretary of forest and environment, Tarun Kapoor said that the animal, killed at Patta village of Bilaspur has been preserved and experts have been called in to verify if this is in fact the biggest of the Indian leopards. "We are getting more details from Wildlife Institute of India," Kumar said.

Once they get the confirmation, the officials will approach the Guinness Book of World Records for an official entry. The cat is 34 inches tall and weighs 70.850 kg. Forest officers said that it had become a man-eater after it was caught in a farmer's trap and injured its left leg. Unable to chase more sprightly prey it started attacking humans. It had killed one 46-year-old man and attacked a couple of others before it was shot down.

Leopard population in Himachal Pradesh is estimated to be 785. In the first-ever GPS-based study in India conducted two years back, scientists had concluded that leopards in human areas were not always 'stray' or 'conflict' animals but residents, potentially requiring policy-makers to rethink India's leopard-management strategies. Scientists have delved into the secret lives of these big cats and recorded their 'strategies' to thrive in human-dominated areas. The study was a collaboration of Vidya Athreya of Wildlife Conservation Society, Scientists from Norway, Sandeep Rattan of Himachal Pradesh Forest Department, Maharashtra Forest Department and Asian Nature Conservation Foundation.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/...227308.cms Reply

[Pckts]

From Landmark Leopard & Predator Project - South Africa:

Another leopard has been killed in the Eastern Cape by predator hunters in Alicedale, near Grahamstown. This happened on 12 January 2017. 

This is the result of ongoing wars on predators on private property by hunting dogs and damage animal "control" hunters. It is claimed there was no intent to hunt a leopard in this instant and the leopard was shot in self defence. This is the usual legal defence by hunters in such instances and usually it results in inaction by the authorities. The legislation is designed to be ineffective! Surely it is conceivable that a leopard would attack once dogs are used to hunt and corner it. We would argue express intent was there to kill an attacking animal once collared, inclusive of leopards that are known to be in the area. The hunters did and should have foreseen this reality. This constitutes grounds for a prosecution: 1) the act of killing of a protected species without a permit, and 2) the intent must have been there when it is known that leopards are in the area and you go out hunting with dogs; then you must have known of the possibility of a leopard being cornered and attacking. If you claimed you were not willfully hunting leopard you must have foreseen that this scenario could play out. It is our view that intent is thus legally present and that the authorities must prosecute as criminal action and intent is present. The Eastern Cape "Green Scorpions" have over the years been utterly useless for the protection of leopards and when clear criminal intent and criminal was proven still did not prosecuted these atrocities.

The reality is that the South African legislation is useless in protecting leopards and other such species, not to mention the authorities tasked will implementing this legislation, and that the hunting lobby is hard at work to try get the moratorium on leopard hunting lifted this year. Many authorities have an aversion to prosecuting these cases and thus the slow slide to oblivion for these species continue.

The injured worker on the farm leads a team of 12 dogs on the daily hunting of jackal and caracal on this "reserve". Hunting with dogs is in itself an illegal activity! This leopard has been identified and monitored in the wider area for at least two years and was thus free-roaming.

The size of the leopard, weighing 113kg, is unheard of for free-roaming leopards of the region. (They are much smaller than their northern counterparts.) The largest leopard we have interacted with in the entire Eastern & Western Capes (having been involved with more than 100 rescues over the years) was 59kg. It is almost certain this is a leopard brought in from up north, which in itself is a situation that warrants investigation.

Place of the incident: Burchell Private Game Reserve, Alicedale, Near Grahamstown, Eastern Cape which operates in tandem with the hunting enterprise, namely Frontier Safaris: 042 231 1302 [email protected] http://frontiersafaris.com/contact

Hunter that shot the leopard: Dale Venske: https://www.facebook.com/dale.venske

Injured ranger: Zwelake Dyan employed at Burchell Private Game Reserve.

THE REPORT FROM THE EP HERALD TODAY STATES:

A farmworker narrowly escaped with his life when he was mauled by a massive leopard which attacked him in dense bush on an Eastern Cape game reserve.

The drama unfolded during a pest control expedition when the animal pounced on Zwelake Dyan – employed at the Burchell Private Game Reserve near Alicedale – and was subsequently shot by a member of the party.

Dyan, 60, was part of the group hunting small predators on the game farm on Thursday morning when he suddenly came across an “unusually large” leopard that attacked him and ripped into the left side of his face.

Now, while he is recovering in Settlers Hospital in Grahamstown, the Green Scorpions are investigating the incident. Dyan said he had his dogs to thank for saving his life. “It happened so quickly,” he said from his hospital bed yesterday.

“By the time I spotted the leopard it was already preparing to charge me. It jumped right into my chest, knocking me down and I went unconscious. Reply

[Pckts]

Photo Of Jagu

From AfriCat Namibia:

COLLARED LEOPARDS
JAGU was collard in September 2016. His choice of name stemmed from his large dark spot patterns resembling that of a ‘Jaguar’. He is a very large male, weighing in at 64 kg's. 

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[Ngala]

First female Persian leopard collared in northeastern Iran
Published by Iranian Cheetah Society December 8, 2015

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On December 6, 2015, the first female Persian leopard was successfully captured during the Persian Leopard Project in Northeastern Iran. The project team carefully immobilized, examined and measured this 3-year-old female of about 40 kg. The team called her “Iran”, fitted her with a GPS satellite collar, and then released her.

Led by Mohammad Farhadinia from the Iranian Cheetah Society and WildCRU, and in collaboration with Iran Department of Environment, Panthera, and University of Tehran; this project seeks to answer a variety of conservation-oriented questions about the persistence of Endangered Persian leopards in fragmented mountainous habitats in a number of protected areas in northeastern Iran. Another four male Persian leopards have been previously fitted with collars during this study. Reply

[Ngala]

Little extract from Africa Hunting (weight is only an estimate): 

Musomberi Monster Leopard Brought To Bag (Zimbabwe)

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"Thanks to the hard work and unyielding determination of PH Shaun Buffee, I nailed a notorious leopard that had been nick-named the "Musomberi Monster" in Zimbabwe's Bubye (pronounced "Booby") Valley Conservancy two weeks ago.

The leopard taped 7 feet 6 inches with a 16 7/8 skull and weighed an estimated 180 to 190 pounds as judged by Shaun and another PH, Mark Barker. My hunting companions, brothers Dawson and Garrett Gamble, are both on weight lifting programs at their high school and know what 185 pounds feels like from bench pressing that weight (185 is the standard for college recruiting how many reps can you do at 185?). They both said the cat was "at least" that heavy.

..................." Reply

[Ngala]

From HuntForever (the second weight is only an estimate):

LEOPARD QUEST!
JANUARY 16, 2014
"My fascination with the world’s big cats probably started in the fourth grade after reading the book Lion Hound by Jim Kjelgaard. It kindled my interest in hunting cougars and other large cats. Eventually I would have my own “lion hounds” and thrill in the pursuit of mountain lions in northwest Montana. Like author Jerry A. Lewis said, “If you follow your own hound on a fresh cougar track through a stretch of the Rocky Mountains, you can never come all the way back home.” Later in life I read the book Hunter, by J.A. Hunter, and that was the catalyst for the dream of hunting leopard in Africa.

In 1997 my Dad and I went on a leopard and plains game hunt in Zimbabwe with Wayne Jardine. Wayne came recommended as a leopard specialist. While visiting with him at the SCI Convention, he kindly cautioned us that it is a tall order to have two leopard hunters in camp at the same time on a 14-day hunt. In spite of his advice, we proceeded to book two leopard hunts for the upcoming August.

Unbelievably, my dad killed a giant 192-pound leopard on the first day. As the hunt progressed, we had females and sub-adult males on bait, but my heart was set on a mature male. Finally, on day 16 of a 14-day hunt, we had a large male leopard hit our bait. That would be my final opportunity, as we had already extended our stay.

As it turned out, the leopard approached directly downwind of the blind. On a coal black night, mere inches from where we sat in our grass enclosure, I could actually hear Panthera Pardus sniffing the blind. The only shooting hole faced in the opposite direction toward the bait. The big cat must have decided that we didn’t really smell like dinner and softly padded away, leaving me to return to the States without a leopard of my own.

Time passed, and life got busy raising a family and building my business. I had dismissed the idea of ever getting back to Africa — sometimes fate has another plan.

Wayne had disappeared from the hunting scene after a motorcycle accident and the takeover of his Karna hunting camp by the Zimbabwe government’s “redistribution plan.” In 2011 I ran into Wayne at the SCI Convention. During our reunion visit, he realized that I had never fulfilled my dream of taking a leopard. He made me an offer I couldn’t refuse — to return to Zimbabwe for another leopard hunt. Unfortunately, during that hunt a bout with “tick fever” caused me to become very ill and I had to cut the hunt short and return home; so ended my second chance at a leopard.

Last February during the SCI Convention, Wayne invited me back for my third attempt at leopard. He truly felt bad that I was still “leopardless” since it is a rare occurrence that one of his hunters is unsuccessful. I assured Wayne that even though I hadn’t taken a leopard, I considered each trip to be a real adventure and thoroughly enjoyed the experiences.

When I arrived in Zimbabwe this past June, Wayne put me into the hands of his nephew, Heath Jardine. Heath is part of the ZimAfrica Safaris team and his obsession is hunting leopard. He had just finished two leopard hunts and had taken two cats in a row with 16-inch skulls. Quite a feat! I told him it was my dream to take a mature male. What were the odds of him getting three big cats in a row?

Heath decided to concentrate our efforts on private cattle ranches with predation problems. One ranch in particular had a very large leopard killing cattle for the past several years. Heath made multiple attempts to connect with this cat, but it would hit the bait once or reject it entirely. The problem with mega leopards is that they are so well fed, fat and lazy that they refuse to climb trees. The baits have to be left hanging near the ground, which makes the meat vulnerable to other predators like hyenas and wild dogs.

With baits in place on the ranch for more than a week, a female did the only feeding, but we saw the track of the very large cat in the area. The rancher told us that this particular cat was very wise and was the dominant male of the area. He told us that a local man bayed the cat with his dogs, but before he could dispatch it, it attacked and killed the unfortunate chap.

With only a few days left on my hunt, the rancher contacted us and told us that his hired man found where the big leopard had killed one of their yearling heifers. Since it was almost evening, it was doubtful there was enough time to travel to the ranch and set up a blind before dark, so Heath made the wise move not to rush in and possibly spook the animal. We would wait until the next day to unfold our plan.  The hired man was directed to return to the kill and wire it to a tree so the leopard couldn’t drag it away.

Arriving the next day, we went to check the kill. It was definitely the big leopard’s, and it had actually fed for several days. There was only enough meat left for one more feeding. Big leopards like this one come back to their kill early in the evening to defend it from marauders. Some leopards are powerful and fierce enough to fend off these other beasts of the night. This one was one big bad hombre!

We arrived at the ranch early enough to give ourselves plenty of time to set up the blind and try to get everything “just right.” The kill was situated against a rock mountain, so the placement of the blind was tricky. The wind had to be considered and there was only one reasonable place to put the blind, which was across a barbed wire fence. Heath assumed the leopard bedded up on this big rock promontory and would approach from that direction. Perhaps he was watching us at that very moment.  Another challenge to consider was the barbed wire fence. Heath wanted to remove any chance of the bullet hitting a strand of wire and deflecting, so he contrived a way to tie the strands to create a “hole” to shoot through.

After getting the blind set up to the crew’s satisfaction, we had a few hours to relax and get “psyched up” for the evening hunt. Sitting in a leopard blind is a unique experience if you have never experienced it. I compare it to being a field goal kicker with a shot at winning the game and two seconds left on the clock. A person has to keep his mind right and remember to squeeze off the shot when the moment of truth arrives. There really is a lot of pressure as everyone works so hard to make this whole thing come together. It all comes down to the hunter making the fatal shot.

I have only spent two nights in a blind in Africa and both nights were absolutely pitch black. Inside the blind the hunter is unable to see the rifle that is positioned in a rest and pointing at the bait. So as we sat in the blind waiting for darkness, I continually leaned forward, grabbing the rifle and putting it to my shoulder so that it became a natural movement and could be done in the dark without mishap. Heath coached me on the sequence of events that would hopefully occur. Silent signals were instituted to coordinate our efforts. Talking would not be permitted during our wait.  Whispering could occur at the time the cat was on bait and it’s hearing muted by the act of chewing. Sometimes an unintended animal or possibly a female leopard will arrive at the bait. This is the point where the experience of the PH is crucial because he has to make a split second decision on whether it is the targeted animal.

With all the preparation in place, we settled in to wait. Heath calmly explained, “please don’t wound it; this thing is big enough to kill people.” Talk about pressure! I nodded and thanked him for giving me this opportunity.

I have to admit that I really enjoy being in a blind. Finding that mental place similar to a trance allows me to sit for hours without talking or moving. It is quite peaceful to listen to the sounds. If the big feline returned to his kill, it would most likely be quite soon after dark. Perhaps 20 minutes after dark we heard something run past the front of our blind. To me it sounded like a soft-footed animal and not like the hard hooves of an ungulate.

We both speculated in our minds what it might have been but dared not speak. Was it possible our leopard had winded us on the way to his kill? In the distance we heard the ringing of cowbells, which the cattle wear to deter predators from eating them. The sound of the bells slowly grew louder as the din continued until they eventually moved past us less than 200 yards away. It seemed an eternity for the sounds to pass and we wondered if our chances were ruined?

Soon after the sounds drifted away, we heard two human voices. Evidently it was a native couple on a walk to somewhere on a completely moonless night. I silently wondered if they knew of the spotted danger that lurked nearby. They were talking and laughing and passed within 100 yards of our hideout. At this point I thought, “What a bad break.” Has our well-executed plan been in vain and their presence tipped off our quarry? We continued our vigil, hoping for the best. Soon the peaceful quiet of the night returned and within 15 minutes Heath reached over and touched my arm. A minute or so later he nudged me toward the waiting .300 Winchester Magnum and I settled into a shooting position as he slowly whispered, “Do you see him?”
 
I couldn’t see anything through the scope. “No,” I whispered, and started into panic mode, shifting my head around and finally seeing a glint of light through the eyepiece. I could dimly see a spotted feline. What a wonderful sight. I whispered, “I see it”! The leopard was in my scope. As he sat upright, my crosshairs were positioned on the point of his shoulder. Just then Heath whispered, “shoot!” There was no hesitation, no savoring the moment, no thinking about squeezing the trigger. I just shot and my aim was true.  I was shaking wildly at this point and Heath said, “Shoot him again!” I gladly racked in another shell and put an insurance shot into his prostrate body, but he was already dead. I just sat there, looking through the scope at his spotted body, thinking, “I did it. My quest for a trophy leopard has finally been fulfilled.”

I had made a good shot and a quick humane kill. Making that 100-yard walk from the blind to the cat was one of the most exhilarating things I’ve done in my life. I couldn’t have told you that it was a big leopard in my sights, but when we walked up to it, the size came sharply into perspective. That thing was huge!

I had not only fulfilled my dream of taking a mature leopard, but it was an absolutely beautiful monster leopard. In the glow of our headlamps, the spots were surreal. All I kept saying was, “This thing looks like a giant jaguar.” I knelt down and said a quick prayer of thankfulness and expressed my gratitude to the crew responsible for my success. There were lots of hugs and exuberant celebration and even a tear or two of happiness. My quest was over. I will remember that time and feeling the rest of my life!

We didn’t have a scale in camp, but I’m sure it was honestly more than 200 pounds. It is truly a spectacular specimen and a once-in-a-lifetime trophy. Heath had done it: three leopards in a row with skulls over 16 inches, with mine measuring just over 17 inches.  His clients have taken many leopards over the years, but this was the largest. Thank you again Heath, Wayne, Judea and the rest of the crew and staff at ZimAfrica Safaris. My hat is off to you and as they say in Ndebele “Siyabonga.”– Scott Lennard"

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