Publications
Partners
If you think of a leopard in South Africa, the first image that probably comes to mind is a big Bushveld cat, probably lounging in a tree in the Kruger Park. Or maybe you think of a similarly imposing specimen patrolling the duneveld of the Kgalagadi.
These leopards are bulky – males weigh around 80 kg on average; females average about 40 kg. In places like the Lowveld and the Kalahari, where the habitat is ideal, leopard population density can be very high. For example, at Singita Sabi Sand, a private reserve bordering the Kruger, up to 12 animals have been recorded in a 100 km² area.
But there are other leopards in SA that far fewer people are aware of – the elusive cats of the Cape Fold Mountains in the Western, Eastern and Northern Cape. These enigmatic creatures are the epitome of wilderness – they survive in unbelievably rugged and inaccessible terrain. They’re known as the “ghost cats” of the mountains and are very seldom seen by people.
