The Cape Leopard Trust received a Ford Ranger 4×4 in celebration of International Leopard Day, a meaningful spot on the global wildlife calendar to raise awareness of the species.
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The Cape Leopard Trust has been part of the Ford Wildlife Foundation’s (FWF) family projects since 2016, Automotive Business Review reports.
The organisation uses camera trapping, dietary analysis and social science to study leopards and their prey species. This data is used to analyse leopard movement, habitat needs, population health and diet.
As per a statement, the FWF actively ‘protects leopards and their habitats’ across the Western Cape, providing constant support to the trust under the guidance of CEO Helen Turnbull.
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As part of its support, FWF provided a locally produced Ford Ranger 4×4 to the Cape Leopard Trust on loan for two years, including ongoing maintenance and support via its dealer network.
‘Researching leopards in the Cape is especially challenging due to the leopard’s elusive nature and the challenging landscapes we work in,’ Dr Katy Williams, research and conservation director at the Cape Leopard Trust.
‘Fieldwork requires careful planning, dedication, rugged equipment and mobility. The Ford Ranger 4×4 provided by the Ford Wildlife Foundation is an essential component of every camera trap survey, making travel over large distances and rough terrain with heavy boxes of equipment possible.
‘Results from camera trap surveys inform our conservation strategies and environmental education programmes, and through every camera trap survey we build positive relationships with communities living in leopard landscapes.’
Furthermore, the Cape Leopard Trust offers human-predator mitigation programmes to inform and support local farmers to implement non-lethal predator management strategies to encourage peaceful coexistence between leopards and local communities.
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Picture: Cape Leopard Trust