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Investigating leopard (Panthera pardus) movement corridors in the Western Cape, South Africa, and determining applied conservation strategies
Thesis (MScConsEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613976825692160 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Carle, Jamie-Lee |
| author2 | Leslie, Alison J. |
| author_browse | Carle, Jamie-Lee Leslie, Alison J. |
| author_facet | Leslie, Alison J. Carle, Jamie-Lee |
| author_sort | Carle, Jamie-Lee |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MScConsEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131611 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:44:42.460Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131611 Investigating leopard (Panthera pardus) movement corridors in the Western Cape, South Africa, and determining applied conservation strategies Carle, Jamie-Lee Leslie, Alison J. Williams, Kathryn S. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Conservation Ecology & Entomology. Leopard -- South Africa -- Western Cape Corridors (Ecology) -- South Africa -- Western Cape Leopard -- Habitat Wildlife conservation -- Management Leopard -- Effect of human beings on Leopard -- Effect of habitat modification on Animals -- Effect of predation on UCTD Thesis (MScConsEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: One of the biggest threats to species globally is loss and fragmentation of natural habitats. Exponential increases in human populations exacerbate the issue, making it imperative to conserve remaining natural habitats and linkages that connect these spaces. Leopards (Panthera pardus) across the globe have experienced extensive loss of their natural range, and South Africa is no exception. Only 20% of South Africa is considered to be suitable habitat for leopards, and most of this occurs outside of protected areas and is susceptible to fragmentation. Leopards are the last remaining apex predators in the Western Cape province of South Africa, and due to their large home ranges, they need to navigate across a highly modified and transformed landscape. Thus, conservation efforts need to focus on non-protected areas to ensure functional connectivity and safe passage between leopard habitats to ensure the survival of the species. The purpose of this study was to identify potential movement corridors for leopards in the Western Cape and shortlist a subset of priority corridors to investigate further. A socio-ecological approach was then used to investigate two priority corridors. The results informed management plans for these areas and provided suggestions for corridor conservation across the province. Potential movement corridors were identified using Linkage Mapper, an Arc GIS based tool. The Linkage Priority tool in Linkage Mapper together with additional spatial data developed by CapeNature assisted in refining the connectivity output to identify two priority corridors for further investigation: Helderstroom/Botriver and Villiersdorp. A three-month camera trap survey spanning the corridors confirmed that leopards and other wildlife are present in/around both priority corridors. More specifically, there is confirmation of at least one priority corridor being heavily utilized by a male leopard, confirming functional connectivity. Furthermore, the surveys confirm the presence of natural prey for leopards within and around priority corridors. In-person interviews revealed that lethal control measures and snaring are threats to wildlife in these areas, despite locals in and around both priority corridors displaying an overall tolerance for leopards. There is a lack of trust in conservation authorities to effectively deal with conflict situations concerning damage causing animals such as leopards and caracal (Caracal caracal). The broad-scale modelling outputs and results from this study are the first of their kind in providing a snapshot of the current state of habitat connectivity for leopards in the Western Cape and offer a replicable framework for future projects. Lessons learnt from this study are intended to inform researchers and conservation authorities to guide long-term conservation management for leopards across the Western Cape. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Een van die grootste bedreigings vir spesies wêreldwyd is die verlies en fragmentering van habitatte. Eksponensiële groei in menslike bevolkings vererger die probleem en maak die bewaring van oorblywende habitatte en verbindings daartussen noodsaaklik. Luiperds (Panthera pardus) ondervind wêreldwyd omvattende verliese in hul natuurlike verspreiding, en Suid Afrika is geen uitsondering nie. Slegs 20% van Suid Afrika se oppervlak work beskou as geskikte habitat vir luiperds, en meeste van hierdie habitat val buite formeelbeskermde areas en is vatbaar vir fragmentering. Die luiperd is die laaste oorblywende top roofdier in die Wes-Kaap provinsie van Suid-Afrika, en hulle groot loopgebied behoeftes het tot gevolg dat hulle dikwels hoogs gefragmetneerde landskappe moet kruis. Bewaringspogings moet dus ook fokus op onbewaarde areas om funksionele konnektiwiteit en veilige deurgang tussen luiperd habitatte te verseker om só die spesie se voorbestaan te waarborg. Die doel van hierdie studie was om potensiële bewegingskorridors vir luiperds in the Wes-Kaap te indentifieseer en ‘n sub stel priotieteitskorridors te kortlys vir verdere ondersoek. ‘n Sosio-ekologiese aanslag is gebruik om twee prioriteitskorridors te ondersoek. Die resultate het bygedra tot bestuursplanne vir die areas en verskaf ook voorstelle vir korridor bewaring reg oor die provinsie. Potensiële beweginskorridors is geïdentifiseer met behulp van Linkage Mapper, ‘n toespassing in die program Arc GIS. Die konnektiwiteit eindproduk is verder verfyn met gebruik van die Linkage Priority funksie en bykomende ruimtelike data lae (deur CapeNature ontwikkel) om twee prioriteits korridors te kies vir verdere ondersoek: Helderstroom/Botriver en Villiersdorp. ‘n Drie-maand strikkamera opname in elk van die korridors het bevestig dat luiperds en ander wildlewe teenwoordig is in en om beide die prioriteitskorridors. Meer spesifiek, is daar vasgestel dat ten minste een van die priotiteitskorridors intensief gebruik is deur ‘n mannetjie luiperd, wat funksionele konnektiwiteit bevestig. Verder het die opnames die teenwoordigheid van natuurlike luiperd prooi in en om die korridors bevestig. In-persoon onderhoude het onthul dat dodelike roofdier-beheer maatstawwe asook strikke die wildlewe in die areas bedreig, ten spyte van plaaslike inwoners se algehele verdraagsame ingesteldheid teenoor luiperds. Daar is ‘n gebrek aan vertroue in bewaringsorganisasies om effektief te handel tydens konflik situasies waar skade-veroorsakende diere soos luiperds en rooikatte (Caracal caracal) betrokke is. Die breë-skaal moddellerings produkte en resultate van hierdie studie is die eerste van hulle soort om ‘n huidige prentjie te skets van die stand van luiperd habitat in die Wes-Kaap en bied ‘n herhaalbare raamwerk vir toekomstige projekte. Lesse geleer uit hierdie studie het ten doel om navorsers en bewaringsorgansisasies in te lig en om rigting te gee aan langtermyn bewaringsbestuur van luiperds in die Wes-Kaap. Masters 2025-01-29T08:48:58Z 2025-01-29T08:48:58Z 2024-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131611 en Stellenbosch University xiv, 170 pages : illustrations, maps application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Leopard -- South Africa -- Western Cape Corridors (Ecology) -- South Africa -- Western Cape Leopard -- Habitat Wildlife conservation -- Management Leopard -- Effect of human beings on Leopard -- Effect of habitat modification on Animals -- Effect of predation on UCTD Carle, Jamie-Lee Investigating leopard (Panthera pardus) movement corridors in the Western Cape, South Africa, and determining applied conservation strategies |
| title | Investigating leopard (Panthera pardus) movement corridors in the Western Cape, South Africa, and determining applied conservation strategies |
| title_full | Investigating leopard (Panthera pardus) movement corridors in the Western Cape, South Africa, and determining applied conservation strategies |
| title_fullStr | Investigating leopard (Panthera pardus) movement corridors in the Western Cape, South Africa, and determining applied conservation strategies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating leopard (Panthera pardus) movement corridors in the Western Cape, South Africa, and determining applied conservation strategies |
| title_short | Investigating leopard (Panthera pardus) movement corridors in the Western Cape, South Africa, and determining applied conservation strategies |
| title_sort | investigating leopard panthera pardus movement corridors in the western cape south africa and determining applied conservation strategies |
| topic | Leopard -- South Africa -- Western Cape Corridors (Ecology) -- South Africa -- Western Cape Leopard -- Habitat Wildlife conservation -- Management Leopard -- Effect of human beings on Leopard -- Effect of habitat modification on Animals -- Effect of predation on UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131611 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT carlejamielee investigatingleopardpantherapardusmovementcorridorsinthewesterncapesouthafricaanddeterminingappliedconservationstrategies |