Saving a Species: Leopards - Spot on. Panthera's Mission to Protect Leopards
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Big cats always captivate guests on safari, but they’re disappearing from the wild. In this episode, Lucy Stofberg (field guide at Singita Sabi Sand) chats to Dr Nikki Balme of Panthera (coordinator of the Sabi Sand Leopard Project) about leopard conservation. They explore why leopards are thriving in the Sabi Sand while drastically declining elsewhere.
Did you know leopards have disappeared from about two-thirds of their African range and a shocking 85% in Eurasia? Or that there are seven other subspecies spanning from Arabia to Russia and China?
Leopards are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list. Nikki breaks down the major threats: prey depletion, over-harvesting, and poaching for ceremonial garments. She highlights how the Sabi Sand research informs global conservation and the vital role that ecotourism plays in protecting these shy cats.
Learn more about Panthera’s incredible work with DNA technology, genetic profiling, and long-term research. The innovative Furs For Life project (synthetic fur skins) has saved 18,500 leopards to date!
The Sabi Sand success story is built on Panthera’s research. In 15 years, over 850 leopard life histories have been reconstructed here, along with 90,000 data collections from leopard sightings (it’s the best-studied population worldwide). Singita Lowveld Trust supports Panthera’s leopard research in the Sabi Sand and more.
Learn more: https://www.singitalowveldtrust.org/project/panthera-partnership-leopard-research/
Panthera helped change national policy to protect leopards from poor hunting practices - that was a direct result of the Sabi Sand work. Nikki highlights that conservation interventions can work quickly, which gives us all hope!
Did you know leopards have disappeared from about two-thirds of their African range and a shocking 85% in Eurasia? Or that there are seven other subspecies spanning from Arabia to Russia and China?
Leopards are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list. Nikki breaks down the major threats: prey depletion, over-harvesting, and poaching for ceremonial garments. She highlights how the Sabi Sand research informs global conservation and the vital role that ecotourism plays in protecting these shy cats.
Learn more about Panthera’s incredible work with DNA technology, genetic profiling, and long-term research. The innovative Furs For Life project (synthetic fur skins) has saved 18,500 leopards to date!
The Sabi Sand success story is built on Panthera’s research. In 15 years, over 850 leopard life histories have been reconstructed here, along with 90,000 data collections from leopard sightings (it’s the best-studied population worldwide). Singita Lowveld Trust supports Panthera’s leopard research in the Sabi Sand and more.
Learn more: https://www.singitalowveldtrust.org/project/panthera-partnership-leopard-research/
Panthera helped change national policy to protect leopards from poor hunting practices - that was a direct result of the Sabi Sand work. Nikki highlights that conservation interventions can work quickly, which gives us all hope!
Chapters
- 00:02 Introduction to Safari Conversations and guest
- 01:17 Nikki's background and Panthera's Mission
- 03:05 Memorable leopard sightings
- 04:17 Leopard population density in Sabi Sand
- 05:25 Leopards as a conservation priority
- 06:44 Global leopard range and status
- 07:28 Research application beyond Sabi Sand
- 09:07 Threats to African leopards
- 11:25 The Furs for Life project
- 12:50 Panthera's conservation challenges and projects
- 15:16 Singita's support and how guests can help
- 17:16 Ecotourism's role in leopard conservation
- 18:38 Measuring success and hope for the future
- 21:19 Conclusion and resources
