SHAMWARI RESERVE SOUTH AFRICA
astonishing 27 years old. She is still active as well. When our team do their daily checks of her fence, Leda likes to follow them round, and she can still catch an unwary bird. During her eight years at Shamwari, Leda has never had to be darted to check her for any ill-health. She’s one amazing leopard!
By Tricia Holford Born Free’s Rescue & Care Officer
LEOPARDS UNDER THREAT Intelligent and agile, leopards are skilled hunters who rely on stealth, camouflage and lightning-speed reactions. Leopards have the widest range of any species of cat in Africa and Asia. But many wild populations are under threat due to human pressures and habitat loss, while captive animals are exploited in zoos and circuses. Africa’s leopard subspecies is not considered in immediate danger of extinction but Asia’s leopard subspecies are all classed ‘endangered’.
our amazing, long-living Leda
Our stunning ‘family’ of leopards live in spacious bush enclosures, full of Before Born Free shady shrubs and bushes, plus dense undergrowth. They include the brothers Sami and Alam, rescued with their sister nimira when found alone as cubs in Sudan in 2001. nimira sadly died in 2017, but her brothers remain - loving and playful. Then there are mother and daughter Leda and Rhea who came from a terrible cage in Limassol zoo, Cyprus in 2009. SPRIng 2018 | LEoParD FamILy 13
© G Vena/BF Shamwari
Their story