For the first time in years a leopard has been spotted in the Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve. The sighting was caught on camera in the early hours of last weekend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The reserve\u2019s manager, Lindsay Lewis, told Paarl Post<\/span> it was the most exciting observation of the last six years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis was the first confirmed sighting since the last footage of a leopard captured by the previous management of the reserve,\u201d he said. \u201cThe Cape mountain leopards are shy apex predators, the beauty of which was captured thanks to one of the trap-cameras in the reserve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lewis said lots of excitement as well as apprehension had been expressed by hikers and cyclists visiting over the past couple of weeks, who had spotted paw prints on the reserve\u2019s trails.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He further explained Cape mountain leopards are extremely shy and were unlikely to venture too close to civilisation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey will not dwell too close to the urban buzz of the town, as they prefer quiet and secluded areas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The trap cameras were stationed in various areas within the reserve thanks to The South African Hunters and Game Conservation Association (Table Mountain Branch), in conjunction with the Drakenstein Municipality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These cameras are strategically placed to record sightings of all the habitat\u2019s species and predators roaming the mountain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lewis says an array of wildlife has over the past few months been recorded thanks to these cameras, which shows Paarl Mountain\u2019s ecosystem is thriving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeannie Hayward, media liaison for The Cape Leopard Trust, says Paarl Mountain is a fringe habitat for leopards. \u201cPaarl Mountain is not contiguous with the main mountain ranges and is essentially an island of fynbos habitat within a sea of degraded land. These cats patrol massive territories of about 250 km\u00b2 for a male, so an individual will not be on Paarl Mountain at all times, perhaps only visiting once in a while.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hayward said Western Cape leopards occur at a very low density and patrol huge home ranges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u2013 Continues on page 3.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For the first time in years a leopard has been spotted in the Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve. 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