Winerepublic

Seven sightings of possibly up to three young leopards have been made on Plaisir de Merle in Simondium since the installation of a motion-detecting camera on 21 June this year.

“As far back as 1992 foresters and other contractors on the farm claimed to have actually seen leopard. We had the spoor identified, so we knew they were out there, but we are so excited to have this finally verified on camera,” said Freddie le Roux, farm manager at Plaisir de Merle.

There was another surprise when a honey badger also bustled onto the scene one night. “We have always joked about the ‘zoo’ on the farm,” said Freddie, ‘’and now, we have the proof!

”The presence of leopard and other wildlife is an affirmation of the success of our efforts over more than 22 years to reinstate the original vegetation in the areas surrounding the vineyards so as to promote a habitat conducive to greater biodiversity.”

Plaisir de Merle itself stretches from the Simonsberg escarpment virtually to the valley floor of the Berg River.

Other fauna known to be on the farm include the caracul or Cape lynx, jackal, mongoose, buck (duiker and grysbok), bat-eared jackal, raptors such as fish eagles and falcons, and other birds such as guinea fowl and pheasants, as well as reptiles such as snakes and lizards. The two rivers flowing through the property also harbour indigenous fish species.

“We roped in the help of the Cape Leopard Trust Boland Project for advice on where to place the cameras and how to download the photographs,” said Freddy.

According to a report from Jeannie Hayward and Anita Meyer of the Cape Leopard Trust (CLT), it seems likely that these pictures are of three different sub-adult leopards.

“Two of these seem to be unknown cats, although we still need to rigorously compare these photos with all of the Boland leopards identified thus far. One of the leopards is certainly the same individual as was photographed before on Tokara (in May 2012).

“It is uncertain at this stage which are male and which are female – leopards can be sexed by the presence or absence of external testes at the base of the tail, but unfortunately in all of the photos the tail is obscuring this distinguishing feature.

“We were pleasantly surprised by the photos obtained on Plaisir de Merle, especially considering that Simonsberg is isolated from the rest of the Jonkershoek mountains by vineyards, urban settlement and the Helshoogte Pass.

“Cape leopards are solitary and highly territorial animals and have extensive home ranges. In the Cederberg, males usually have territories ranging from 200 to 1000 km² in size, and female territories range between 75 to 200 km².

“Due to its isolation and the relative lack of rocky slopes – which is the preferred habitat of Cape leopards – we do not expect Simonsberg to be exclusively utilised by a permanent resident leopard for an extended period of time. Rather we expect its slopes to be occasionally utilised by adults who have larger territories stretching into the Jonkershoek mountains, and younger leopards looking to establish a territory.

“We surmise that at present there must be some kind of territorial dispute going on – it is very uncharacteristic for more than two individuals to share the same space, and so finding three individuals in such a short space of time is very unusual.

“These photographs are a very important contribution to our knowledge. We have very little information on how extensively leopards are using inselbergs like Simonsberg, and only time will tell what is happening with regards to leopard movement on the slopes of Simonsberg.

“The CLT will soon be launching a PhD study looking specifically at the habitat use and movements of leopards in a fragmented, human-modified environment, and data from Simonsberg will be invaluable.”

In 2005 Plaisir de Merle was one of the first farms to have been awarded membership of the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI), in recognition of its efforts to re-establish the natural habitat on large areas of the 974 ha farm, of which almost 400 hectares are planted to vines.

The BWI is a pioneering partnership between the local wine industry and the conservation sector, aimed at minimising any further loss to the highly threatened Cape Floral Kingdom (CFK), the smallest but also the richest plant kingdom on earth. The wine industry plays a vital role in conservation efforts, as some 90 percent of local wine production occurs within the CFK.

To become a member of the BWI, producers must start by implementing the BWI’s biodiversity guidelines, commit to not developing vineyards on a portion of natural vegetation on their farms and secure an IPW certificate for their farm and cellars.

Efforts to rehabilitate fynbos at Plaisir de Merle began more than 22 years ago through the ongoing removal of invasive alien vegetation, mainly hakea.  About 12 years ago, this programme was extended to also include other aliens such as black wattle and pine trees. Much has already been spent on rehabilitating the land, funded from the income derived from a large commercial pine plantation on the farm.

Where the trees have been harvested, fynbos has been re-established, with many wild olive trees also making their appearance. Other indigenous plants and trees are being planted, such as the Cape, Henkel and Breede River yellowwoods , Acacia, fever trees, red and white alders, Cape beech, Cape ash, Cape holly, wild peach, wild olive, white stinkwood, white pear, etc.

The final section of the former forest has practically been rehabilitated to fynbos. In other sections where trees were removed, an experimental planting of indigenous buchu, known for its natural oils and its medicinal uses, has also been established.

The fynbos high up on the Simonsberg abounds in protea species, while indigenous trees and thicket cover the ravines that form natural corridors which, together with the rivers, provide a habitat conducive to the extensive wildlife that ranges there.

And the appearance of the leopards has given Plaisir de Merle another seal of approval!