https://www.iol.co.za/saturday...ers-decline-28766465



Call for a ban in leopard trophy hunting as numbers decline


NEWS / 6 JULY 2019, 1:30PM / SHEREE BEGA


Johannesburg - They’re part of South Africa’s iconic Big Five, but the country’s fragile and fractured leopard population is being wiped out by habitat loss, a declining population, illegal poaching for their skins and body parts and killed in retaliatory killings by farmers.
These are among the reasons why the Landmark Foundation, an NGO which focuses on leopard and predator conservation, together with the Wild Animal Protection Forum of South Africa, has called for a ban on trophy leopard hunting.


Last month, the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) requested recommendations for the 2019 leopard trophy hunting quota.

It has asked the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) for the leopard hunting trophy and skin quota for personal use to be retained at 150.

But the Landmark Foundation says the DEA’s submission “flies in the face” of data before it on declining population trends.



“In SA, leopard populations are currently contracting at 11% per annum and a further 8% decline assessed in 2017.

“This indicates a persistent decline We submit that in light of the current lack of scientific, peer-reviewed, methodologically rigorous analyses and inclusive consultative process to demonstrate beyond reasonable doubt that a non-zero export quota in trophy hunting of leopards will not imperil wild leopard survival, the quota should be set to zero,” it says.

The DEA says in its submission to Cites that between 2005 and 2016, SA did not fully utilise its export quota of 150 leopard hunting trophies and skins for personal use, having exported on average 73 per year, mostly as trophies.

“It is therefore unnecessary to consider an increase in the export quota. On the other hand, a reduction in the export quota would limit the flexibility that is crucial for the adaptive management approach adopted by South Africa for the allocation of leopard hunting quotas.

“Considering that the leopard is the most valuable hunting trophy exported from SADC, it is hoped that this adaptive management approach will encourage collaborative landowner participation in the project, and ultimately incentivise management practices that contribute towards leopard conservation.”

In 2015, the department placed a moratorium on leopard hunts but last year it allowed seven leopards to be hunted in Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal.

The foundation says there is evidence of a persistent decline in Northern Natal (Hluhluwe-iMfolozi and St Lucia Eastern Shores) in 2015 and 2016, with the former showing a decline of 70% in five years.

“Further declines are reported in Limpopo with areas indicating a decline of as much as 44%.

“Despite this, the DEA approved trophy hunting permits in Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal in 2018. By their own admission, DEA has no idea of leopard population dynamics in other regions in South Africa. Based on the trends, it must be accepted that population numbers continue to decline across the country.”

Trophy hunting, it says, can exacerbate population declines where other human-caused mortality is “severe, ongoing, not fully recorded and uncontrolled”.

There are unknown numbers of leopard mortalities from human-wildlife conflict while cultural artefact harvesting “compounds this situation and should advocate against the reinstitution of leopard sports hunting.

“Government has no control over the situation and should not be compounding the peril for the species by contributing to its mortalities in appeasement of hunting industry pressures.”

The DEA says significant declines in leopard density have been observed in some areas.

“Some stable populations appear to be well below their potential capacities, while other areas with prime leopard habitat seem to no longer have functioning leopard populations.

“In some provinces, progress has been made in reducing the number of leopards killed as damage-causing animals though the recent shift in South Africa’s game ranching industry to high-value species and colour variants has likely decreased tolerance towards leopards and increased levels of retaliatory killing.”

To improve the management of the species, the DEA has established the South African Leopard Monitoring Project, which has provided for a “standardised, rigorous framework using systematic camera-trap surveys for the monitoring of leopard population trends throughout South Africa.

“Hunting will be restricted to leopard hunting zones where scientifically robust data on leopard density trends indicate overall stable (or increasing) populations.”

Norms and standards for the trophy hunting of leopards are under development, which will distribute hunting effort evenly across leopard range in South Africa; limit hunting to male leopards of at least seven years of age; and ensure the mandatory submission of hunt return data and trophy photographs following all leopard hunts.”

But the foundation says leopards probably live to 10-13 years in protected environments, and when in conflict in production landscapes on average six to eight years.

“It is rare that a male leopard has a stable territory before five to six years and thus the paternal factor of cubs. To suggest you can shoot them from this early age is sure to create havoc among the populations and generalise infanticide.”

Dries van Coller, president of the Professional Hunters’ Association of SA, believes leopards are not in decline. “In areas where we are hunting, we see an increase in leopard populations. We have so many coming to lodges and so much footage of leopards... There’s a major conflict with leopards and farmers, it’s an explosive situation, and authorities keep issuing damage-causing animal permits in any case, which is wasteful and not beneficial to conservation.”

Saturday Star

Let's be blunt and to the point:

They probably are on the decline in some areas when you have assholes who shoot them just because they make an unwarranted appearance on their property.

Others have classified them as vermin because they prey on their sheep or goats and consider it "open season" for their elimination. It is no wonder therefore if the authorities are considering applying stringent measures to counter their decimation.

What goes round, comes round.

well when a rancher loses 50%+ of there live stock.

just saying, you would do something also...

quote:

well when a rancher loses 50%+ of there live stock.

You would need to have "herds" of Leopard for that to happen so 50% is "slightly" exaggerated.

quote:

Originally posted by fulvio:
Let's be blunt and to the point:

They probably are on the decline in some areas when you have assholes who shoot them just because they make an unwarranted appearance on their property.

Others have classified them as vermin because they prey on their sheep or goats and consider it "open season" for their elimination. It is no wonder therefore if the authorities are considering applying stringent measures to counter their decimation.

What goes round, comes round.

Livestock Farmers in SA have been killing leopards illegally since the 1800’s. Not a new thing. If the amount of leopards killed has increased its only because there population has increased and they’re moving into new areas not previously inhabited by leopards. I’m referring specifically to the Baviaans Conservation area where the Landmark Foundation referred to in the article primarily operates. I can assure you, leopard numbers have increased throughout SA and specifically in The Eastern Cape. Landowners in the Eastern Cape have recently been pushing for leopard quota from DEAET and have formed an action group to motivate this. This should lead to greater value been placed on leopards and greater conservation. All hunters know this link to be a crucial one in the conservation of a species. There are many positive examples of this (ie we can legally hunt rhino in SA and we have 23k of the world population of 26k). NGO’s like Landmark are threatened by this new more scientific approach my hunting groups to motivate quota and coupled by the breakdown of their landowner projects in certain areas, now resort to the typical anti hunting rhetoric.

Victor, same for Namibia. For every trophy leopard shot, there are 100+ shot by local farmers. They have been trying to eradicate cats since the early 1900's without success. Cats have a funny way of breeding more cats.

The conservation movement today has nothing to do with conservation and everything to do with making money under the guise of conservation and trying to end trophy hunting. That's their mission.

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:
Victor, same for Namibia. For every trophy leopard shot, there are 100+ shot by local farmers. They have been trying to eradicate cats since the early 1900's without success. Cats have a funny way of breeding more cats.

The conservation movement today has nothing to do with conservation and everything to do with making money under the guise of conservation and trying to end trophy hunting. That's their mission.

Agreed Opus. I’d imagine the situation with predators would have strong similarities between SA and Namibia. Place a trophy value on an animal of a few thousand dollars and livestock farmers and communities have a strong motivator to find other solutions to dealing with problem cats. Anti hunting groups secretly know this economic solution is most likely the best one but also know that it leaves them high and dry with no donor funds forthcoming. They are the problem and they represent the biggest threat to reversing the conservation success achieved in Namibia and South Africa

No NGO or Conservation Group ever survived by solving problems; they survive be creating more...

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:
No NGO or Conservation Group ever survived by solving problems; they survive be creating more...

NGOs are a instrumental at creating problems so that they can create projects and go "fix" the issue.
Most of these wildlife orientated projects are sponsored by a seemingly inexhaustible source of UN funding, well there's your answer.

quote:

Johannesburg - They’re part of South Africa’s iconic Big Five, but the country’s fragile and fractured leopard population is being wiped out by habitat loss, a declining population, illegal poaching for their skins and body parts and killed in retaliatory killings by farmers.

That says it all. The only thing that ISN'T threatening the population is the thing they are going to ban. Greenie logic.

quote:

Originally posted by fulvio:

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:
No NGO or Conservation Group ever survived by solving problems; they survive be creating more...

NGOs are a instrumental at creating problems so that they can create projects and go "fix" the issue.
Most of these wildlife orientated projects are sponsored by a seemingly inexhaustible source of UN funding, well there's your answer.

Not to get too far off the OP but... This is especially true if you can somehow wrap it all around climate change. The amount of UN/EU funds pouring into the most ludicrous research projects is beyond nauseating. You cannot find grant money unless you can somehow incorporate AGW into the study, then funds come flooding in.

Where ever the Landmark Foundation has been involved in the past they make accusations without any facts.

As a local predator controller of livestock, the Foundation has targeted jackal hunters that assist the farmers with the management of the black-backed jackal population all over the country.

The Foundation would use photos from one province to blow a lot of hot air in a different province.

With regards to leopard, illegal poaching is a much bigger problem as there is a high value to the leopard skins in many of the black cultures and churches.

Foundations like Pantera that actively works to protect leopards has had a successful project a couple of years back where they had synthetic skins made for some of the churches in northern KZN that has been accepted to the specific church.

Leopard poaching has not stopped in the area but a lot less has been poached since then.

With regards to farmers, most will apply for a damage causing animal permit at Nature Conservation and only once the permit has been issued will the problem be taken care off.

Nature Conservation will 1st try to catch the problem animal in a cage and remove it from the area before a permit will be issued.

These numbers are being recorded and are available, the same with legally hunted leopard.

So like many places in the world its the people doing stuff illegally that destroys populations of wildlife.

Kathi: I sent you a PM.

Ranchers will have to protect their livestock/livelyhood but outside of those areas and in game areas they should be doing well you would think.