Namibia (SliverKris Singapore Airlines inflight magazine, November 2012)

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CATHERINE MARSHALL takes a working holiday in Namibia – to help save the leopard.

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People and places brought to you by correspondents from BBC World News. There is no easy way to catch a leopard. I have spent days preparing for an encounter with this endangered animal at Ongos game farm in the Khomas Hochland region of central Namibia: crumbling animal excrement between my fingers to

Auld Lang Syne

determine whether it belongs to predator or prey; scouring the bush for signs of small antelopes and warthogs that might attract a hungry leopard; lacing box traps with fresh meat to entice one of these beauties into their yawning, but harmless, jaws.

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Game hunting is a popular pursuit here in this arid corner of Africa’s southwest, but it’s not the

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Groznjan, Croatia

leopard’s pelt I’m after. Quite the contrary. Along with half a dozen fellow Biosphere Expeditions team members, I’m helping German scientist Kristina Killian gather data such as blood and tissue samples, and monitor general leopard behaviour. Conclusions from Killian’s studies will shed light on the

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leopard’s daily movements and activities – helping scientists to manage its population. It will,

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hopefully, also convince local farmers to use more humane methods – including predator avoidance techniques – to prevent these cats from attacking their livestock.

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It’s important work, for which Killian has won the Trophee de Femmes environmental prize from the Yves Rocher Foundation. The award recognises outstanding women the world over in the field of environmental protection and nature conservation. And there are trophies to be had here on Ongos game farm too, for a leopard has been lured into our camouflaged box trap. The volunteers, who have contributed £1,690 (US$2,676) towards land costs for this two-week expedition, are both exhilarated and terrified. The animal is quickly sedated and we

06/01/2013 12:23


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