will_fox: Kevin Richardson (Wildlife film presenter and large cat bahaviour specialist) is joining the ILP team for Saturday's Honey Badger release

will_fox: Looks like we will release our two honey badgers on Saturday. I'm hoping to have a team to follow them 24 x 7 for the first weeks.

will_fox: Meeting with the BBC to discuss their filming Black Leopards with us. It won't be easy but as they say in Africa 'we have a plan'.

will_fox: Preparing for a meeting with the BBC Natural History Unit.It may be that we can assist with thier latest wildlife series.

will_fox: I uploaded a YouTube video -- Dairen Simpson 1 http://bit.ly/3sfeTH

UK tour raises some great questions

Some great questions have been raised by University students during my recent lecture tour in the UK, which have focused our thoughts on the direction of the ILP for the next years. Sure, we’re growing rapidly but it’s important to ensure that we focus on our core aims first and foremost. The object of our research is to gather data on the density and behaviour of leopards (and other carnivores) outside of formally protected areas. And why? Well it is in these areas (the largest land mass of South Africa) that leopards are in conflict with humans and in these areas where they are the last of the big five remaining truly wild.
So how can we conserve the dwindling leopard population. As said, first we need data, but also we need to develop wildlife management methods and techniques. Within this we need to become more than a pure research project and tackle some of the other issues. Education is undoubtedly a major factor. We need to get the message across in the right way. But we also need to develop and employ pragmatic management solutions. We will need a holding facility to temporarily detain problem animals, sufficient to give us time to ensure that any relocation does not compromise the genetic dynamics of an area and importantly that we do not create a problem in that area. Whether that be with local livestock, people, or other leopards.
All of this will mean we need more staff. Dedicated people who have a passion for wildlife conservation. We’ll also need more funding. But here is where we can offer something a little different. We want to create an ILP membership scheme (say$8 annual fee). However rather then just ask for a membership fee, in return we want to offer something more than a badge or membership card. Membership will then entitle folks to a 10% discount off an African Conservation Safari. As with everything we do, we look to our friends to give us their input and feedback, so if you have any thoughts on this concept then I'd love to hear from you.
Written by Will Fox

Honey Badgers - You have to love them

Finally we have some news on our Honey Badger project. As you may know we have been holding two troublesome honey badgers, that were killing Geese on a farm and removed before they could get into even deeper trouble. Of-course we have been waiting for permits but (in this case), that is no bad thing. It has provided time for the badgers to loose their homing instinct to that farm (otherwise they would just head home and into more trouble). It's also given us time to arrange for tracking equipment. In this regard, we took lots of advice from badger specialists before deciding on a two pronged approach to tracking these animals that roam in very large areas.
Firstly, one of the badgers had a radio transceiver implant yesterday (unobtrusive low range device placed under the skin by a vet), and second they will each be given VHF collars before release. Of-course with such tenacious animals the collars won't last long before the badgers have destroyed and discarded them, but by that time we hope to have logged their new home range and have an idea of where to find them. Thereafter the implant (which has only a small range) will help us to monitor the badgers for the next year or so and gather much needed data on Honey Badgers living outside of formally protected area's. You've heard it before, but these are the area's where all carnivores at the biggest and imminent risk from human conflict. So we very much hope that these two will be only the first of many, so that our study results can hep formulate pragmatic conservation policies.
For now, the badgers will be monitored at Moholoholo wildlife rehabilitation centre for another twelve days and then we'll release them into a wild area. Where we hope they'll stay out of trouble. Yea I know, fat chance of that. Badgers just seem to look for trouble. I have to be honest, it's why I love them.

Written by Will Fox

ILP team buzzing

I have to say, I’d rather report after an event, than tempt fate, but I had a very encouraging meeting with the head of wildlife services in Mpumalanga, which has the ILP team buzzing. He has indicated that he would like us to take on a much larger role, increasing our contribution to large carnivore conservation within the province.
It’s early days, and we will need to present a detailed proposal, but our meeting was very positive. In short we will step up our support to MTPA especially in terms of research and assisting with problem animal issues. We will need more people and need to raise more funds, but there is an opportunity to provide pragmatic support to provincial conservation authorities and by doing this have a positive impact on large carnivore conservation in Mpumalanga.
You may also be interested to hear that there has been another confirmed sighting of a Black Leopard. This time by experienced professionals who followed the animal for several minutes getting to within 5 meters!

Written by Will Fox

Exciting times, if we can only pull it off.

You may well know that I chair the board PAW Conservation Trust www.pawct.org, which amongst other things is the NGO that sits above the Ingwe Leopard Project.

There's a good reason he's called Lucky.

It's now gone beyond a joke. Lucky slipped through the net once again. We had everything set, we knew he was in the Paperbark valley and knew from the Antelope movement that a predator was around. Everything looked good. Safari guests were all excited to be involved. Everyone went to bed early to make sure they were ready for dawn checks the next day.
Then, the heavens opened and it rained cats and dogs.
I made the (now fateful) decision to disable the sets. After all there was no chance of catching in the rain. The sand that camouflages the trap mechanisms would turn to mud, clog the whole thing up and expose the works. So we went out at 10pm and disabled the sets.
Sure enough, Lucky thumbed his nose at us once again. He came visiting during the night and in the rain. Walking straight over the now disabled set and had a great feast eating the bait we had left behind.
You might say the air was blue on Sunday morning when we discovered that we'd missed him yet again. There's a good reason he's called lucky.
After the initial cursing and my apologies to everyone, we've now redoubled our efforts. We'll collar him one day soon, and let me tell you, when we have the first update from his collar.... I'm opening a bottle of champagne.

Written by Will Fox