Leopard spotted in Rooiels area (WC)

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Niel
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Leopard spotted in Rooiels area (WC)

Post by Niel »

Saw this on FC - I was told that there were still leopards in the area
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Re: Leopard spotted in Rooiels area (WC)

Post by Mud Dog »

Beautiful! Solitary and elusive creatures by nature, so just because one doesn't see them doesn't mean that they aren't there. These cats are not easily intimidated by man, and although they would choose to avoid humans, if farms became smaller and human density increased, they are still known to remain in their territory much longer than we would be inclined to think.

Not long ago there was an initiative by sheep farmers in the W/Cape and Klein Karoo to re-locate Leopards into these areas to increase their numbers as most had been eradicated over the years. The reason was that leopards would control the jackal population. One jackal can typically kill 3 or 4 sheep a night and just eat out the throat and groin leaving the rest of the carcass to rot, whereas a leopard will take only one at a time, keep it in a tree and devour the whole carcass over a few nights .... a substantial difference in stock loss to the farmer. Of course the leopards will either scare the jackals off or kill them off to protect it's food supply in it's area.

The plan made sense and proved to be successful, but it met with a fair amount of resistance from some quarters that were concerned about the possibility of attacks on humans, especially farm children and when the leopards would be raising cubs. I don't know if it's still ongoing or if it has been stopped, either way, there must still be a fair number of them around down there so reports of sightings don't surprise me.
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Re: Leopard spotted in Rooiels area (WC)

Post by Froll »

I have seen leopard spoor up here near us but never seen one. Some of the people that have sheep grazing in the veld have seen them. Maybe one day I will get lucky. :thumbup:
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Re: Leopard spotted in Rooiels area (WC)

Post by Niel »

We were fortunate to spot this one in Kruger 2 weeks ago - Just outside Letaba. I think it must be blind after all the torches and cameras were pointed at it - Kruger just have to many visitors :thumbdown:
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Re: Leopard spotted in Rooiels area (WC)

Post by Mud Dog »

Nice pic Niel! :thumbup: With the kill in the tree that one was still going to be around there for a few days. Just a pity about the retina reflection .... if I look at the background and the sky beyond, it looks like there was still enough light to play with a higher ISO, wider f-stop, slower shutter speed and take it without a flash. :think:
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Re: Leopard spotted in Rooiels area (WC)

Post by African Child »

Jong daai is sommer in my agterplaas :shock2: , ek bly mos daar tussen die koppe in die Highlands tussen Grabouw en Kleinnmond. Dis glad nie ongewoon om n bokkie in die aand op die driveway te kry oppad huis toe nie. Bobbejane is daar baie van met kleintjies so daars nog genoeg kos in die area vir hulle en hulle swerf beslis in die area.
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Re: Leopard spotted in Rooiels area (WC)

Post by Niel »

Andy my brother took the pics but there was torches and spotlights from all angles on the poos animal. But agree with your comments.
Leon, ek het met n bame van die HHH natuur reservaat gepraat en sy het n paar jaar gelde al gese dat daar ten minste 17 verskillende luiperde in die berge getel is. Dan in rooiels het n pel n strand huis gehad enhy was gelukkig omeen oor die pad te sien hardloop een aand.Dan het ej self een aan die bokant van Du Toitskloof pas een oordie pad te sien hardloop so 30m voor my. Cape Leopard Trust het mos ook n studie/opname gedoen in die Worcestrer/Rawsonville area. Sal graag hulle detail daaroor wou sien. Maar ja hulle is nader as ons dink.
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Re: Leopard spotted in Rooiels area (WC)

Post by African Child »

Ek was gelukkig om seker maar op die regte plek op die regte tyd te wees die laaste paar jaar en het so n paar luiperds te sien gekry.

Die een was vroeg oggend in Bainskloof nogal in die teerpad. Dan was daar een in die noorde van Namibia, Kaokoland omgewing.

In Moremi sit ons om die vuur so 20h30 se kant, die volgende oomblik begin die ape n helse kabaal bokant ons koppe in die bome op te skop! Skielik kom daar n trop impalas deur die kamp. Meer soos n skool visse....heen en weer.....heen en weer. Ons staan verstom oor die gedoente.....ons skyn die flitse rond en toe sien is dit, n luiperd 20/30m van ons af het n impala platgetrek. Hy le met sy bek om die impala se keel. Wat n gesig en unieke ervaring.

Laasjaar ry ek en pel deur die Cederberge met die motorfietse. Ons het die aand by Cederberg Oasis oorgeslaap en na ontbyt druk ons die twee KTM's se neuse Algeria se kant toe. So 10km voor Algeria kom ek om een van daai skelm draaitjies, seker ook maar bietjie vinniger as wat ek moet ( n KTM doen dit mos maar an jou ).... die berg le aan my linkerkant en in die sement waterkanaal staan n luiperd. Nou kyk ek weet nie of ek of die luiperd die grootste geskrik het nie, maar ek weet dit het in daai oomblik vir my gevoel soos toe ek destyds met my trapfiets gery het oppad skool toe en ek daai verpeste Doberman van ons buurman skielik in die pad sien staan het.
Met die skrik hardloop die luiperd padpad af voor die KTM, toe swenk hy regs oor die pad voor my in. Alles tot dusver het maar n paar sekondes geduur, maar in my brein speel stadig af, ek is hard op die remme, die luiperd se lyf platgetrek. Wat volgende gebeur het gaan ek nie vertel nie want niemand gaan my inelkgeval glo nie en nou nou word ek uitgemaak as spekskieter! Maar wat ek kan se is ons het mekaar op n unieke wyse ontmoet en die luiperd is toe aan my regterkant wal af. Ek het so paar meter verder gestop, geskok oor wat gebeur het. Tot vandag toe voel alles vir meer soos n droom as iets wat werklik gebeur het en as ek van die ondervinding vertel dan lig die wenkbroue ongelowig....
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Re: Leopard spotted in Rooiels area (WC)

Post by george »

Wat volgende gebeur het gaan ek nie vertel nie want niemand gaan my inelkgeval glo nie
Issie man ons sal jou glo.VERTEL :beg:
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Re: Leopard spotted in Rooiels area (WC)

Post by Niel »

Ek is nou jaloers, maar soos George se vertel gerus on sal jou glo :twisted: :thumbup:
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Re: Leopard spotted in Rooiels area (WC)

Post by African Child »

Ok laat ek maar vertel....

Nou, so kom ek toe Cyril-Depres-Dakar-wannabe styl om die skerp links draai. Die luiperd, ek sou se maar n jongerige een, trek sy lyf plat soos die die pad af spaander van die skrik oor die oranje gedoente wat op hom afpyl. Ek is op die remme maar dis grondpad en stop is min op die styl afdraand. Links voor my is die luiperd net meters voor my, die volgende oomblik swenk hy regs oor die pad, reg voor my in.

Kyk in hierdie breekdeel van n sekonde gaan daar n paar goed deur jou kop... " Storm die gedierte nou my been soos daai Doberman! , Gaan my bike boots so n byt kan weerstaan! " Belaglik ek weet maar, flip dis n luiperd wat hier op my afkom! Die volgende in my kop is, " Gaan ek val as die voorwiel hom slaan? of gaan die ding by opvreet as ek daar op die grond le of, of, of!!! "

In die hoek van my oog kan sien n ontmoeting is onvermydelik, instinktief kom ek af van die remme, skuif my gewig agtertoe in n staande posisie.........en wag vir die inpak van die voorwiel.......nee hy swenk weer. Die voorwiel mis hom net, en met daai platgetrekte katlyf is tussen my voor en agterwiel in. Die agterwiel is bokspring oor sy lyf maar ek bly net net op die fiets.

Dis die laaste wat ek van hom gesien het, hy's wal af en tussen die fynbos verdwyn.....

Laat sak nou maar daai wenkbroue :eh:
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Re: Leopard spotted in Rooiels area (WC)

Post by Mud Dog »

Yoh! :wth: Ek sou my ordentlik besoedel het! :D:
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Re: Leopard spotted in Rooiels area (WC)

Post by Niel »

Dit was nie so erg nie selle het met my gebeur toe ek n laaitie was en die dominie se hond het selfde plek deur - ongelukkig het ek my dinges afgeval en die volgende keer wat ek daar verby is het die wetter my gebyt.
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