Leopard Tracking
Our Leopard “experience” takes you deep into the Okonjima Nature Reserve, where you’ll have the opportunity to spend extended time with our experienced guides, focusing on finding the leopard. During this adventure, you’ll also become part of our research efforts, contributing to our ongoing leopard project and brown hyaena project. Several of our adult leopards, accounting for approximately 40% to 43% of the 35+ leopards positively identified in the ONR, are fitted with radio collars.
These collars enable our guides to monitor their movements using specialized telemetry devices. AfriCat has one of the longest-running leopard monitoring projects in Namibia. This significantly increases the likelihood of guests spotting these magnificent predators in their natural habitat during a one- or two-day visit to Okonjima. You’ll get to witness their captivating behavior and interactions, especially when they compete for food. However, please keep in mind that even with these advantages, encounters with these wild, free-roaming predators can never be guaranteed.
Important to note:
The presence of radio-collared leopards enables us to conduct long-term studies and ensures that future generations can continue learning from these remarkable creatures. It also offers our guests the chance to encounter them during brief visits. In a vast and arid environment like Namibia, characterized by acacia thickets and tall grass, leopard spotting becomes an even greater challenge. Unlike regions with higher rainfall or the expansive plains of East Africa, where territories are smaller, spotting these elusive big cats in Namibia can be incredibly challenging unless you have weeks or months to spend in the area, tracking them day after day.
Consequently, for those passionate about leopards and aiming to study the behavior of these elusive creatures, we highly recommend a minimum 2-day stay.
Photographers should take note that capturing that perfect leopard picture, whether at Okonjima or any other location, requires impeccable timing and a deep understanding of leopard behavior. Learning to anticipate their movements and actions is essential for that perfect shot, and this level of understanding takes time and study – which is precisely why so many photographers and leopard enthusiasts, choose to visit Okonjima.
