Historic Leopard Sighting Marks Conservation Triumph

In a remarkable ecological milestone, a leopard has been photographed in the West Coast National Park for the first time in 170 years. The sighting — confirmed through a remote camera trap — marks the natural return of the species to this coastal region after it was wiped out in the mid-1800s.

The discovery is the result of a collaborative effort led by the Landmark Leopard and Predator Project, working alongside South African National Parks (SANParks), the University of the Western Cape, Saldanha Bay Municipality and several private landowners. For years, the partnership has been monitoring leopard movement along the West Coast, stretching between Cape Town and the Berg River.

According to conservationists, this significant return can be attributed to a combination of long-term efforts. These include improved land-use practices, growing conservation areas such as the West Coast National Park, stronger environmental legislation and increasing tolerance from local communities towards predators.

Over the last two decades, the Landmark Leopard and Predator Project and SANParks have focused on restoring ecological corridors and reconnecting fragmented habitats across the Western, Eastern and Northern Cape. These interventions have enabled wildlife, including leopards, to move more freely and safely through the landscape. A key part of this progress has been the willingness of landowners to coexist with predators and to support wildlife protection laws.

SANParks has described the leopard’s return as a conservation victory deserving of celebration, emphasising the importance of continued collaboration to ensure the species’ long-term survival in the region.