Welcome to your first update of the year! If 2025 was the year of data, 2026 is officially the year of action. We’ve spent the last twelve months proving what’s possible, and this month, you’ll start seeing the results of that hard work right on the asphalt.
Here is what you can expect in this edition:
The Full 2025 Recap: A deep dive into the massive numbers you helped us generate.
Signs of Change: Our first official mitigation measures are live on the R40!
Wearable Conservation: The official launch of our Relate Bracelets.
Last Chance Art: Final items from our exclusive auction.
2025: The Year in Numbers
Before we race into the new year, we have to look back at the incredible volume of data our community provided. These aren’t just numbers; they are the evidence we need to save lives.
Leopard Monitoring Highlights:
146 unique leopards observed in 2025 (plus 64 under temporary IDs).
4,525 unique sightings documented.
5,385 images submitted by over 200 citizen scientists.
Data collected across 54 different locations.
🏆 Our Top 5 Contributors: 1. Hoedspruit Wildlife Estate (854 images) 2. Olifants West Nature Reserve (533 images) 3. Kapama Game Reserve (470 images) 4. Blue Canyon Conservancy (329 images) 5. Thornybush & Makalali (262 images)
Road Ecology & Socio-Ecological Research:
Roadkill Patrols: 4,704 km driven over 84 hours, with 208 roadkill reported.
Culvert Surveys: 60 camera traps deployed, requiring 120+ hours of servicing and generating 23,862 images/videos of animals (199GB!) - not including unwanted media.
Community Insight: 157 questionnaire responses regarding human-leopard coexistence in three wildlife estates.
Academic Success: A huge congratulations to our student, Eleanor Salisbury, for defending her Master’s thesis on human-leopard coexistence with distinction! Next step: posters for the wildlife estates & publications.
A Great Start to 2026: Signs of Progress
If you’ve driven the R40 recently, you’ll notice a significant change. In a direct response to the community’s plea for action, Ingwe has officially implemented our first mitigation measure: four new “Predators Crossing” signs.
These signs stand where leopard fatalities have been highest. This was a proactive collaboration with SANRAL, who designed them specifically for our project. Seeing these up just one year after we started is a testament to what happens when local voices are actually heard.
The Science Under the Asphalt
While the signs alert the public, the research continues. Our Wet Season Survey kicked off in January with 14 consecutive mornings of roadkill patrols. We will repeat this in February and March to pinpoint exactly why and where wildlife is most at risk during the rains.
Simultaneously, our Master’s student, Tanis, is redeploying camera traps in the culverts. Despite a two-week delay due to recent floods, we are back in the field. Last season proved these tunnels are “secret” highways—17 different species used them, with leopards using them an average of 9.7 times per week.
This work is powered by: AirNav Systems, Africa Geographic, Transfrontier Africa, Trophy Travel Rentals, The Black Sheep Agency and all our donors.
Wear Your Support: Relate Bracelets are Here!
We are thrilled to announce our official partnership with Relate Bracelets! Our bracelets have all been produced and are ready for you to wear as a totem of your commitment to leopard conservation.
These make beautiful gifts and come in different sizes. You can purchase them directly on our website or order in bulk via Relate to stock them in your curio shops or businesses.
Special Shout-outs:
Transfrontier Africa & Industrial Liquor: Thank you for purchasing a large stock for your Hoedspruit stores at the Bosveld Center! You can also find them at the Hoedspruit Padel court!
The Black Sheep Agency: A beautiful gesture—they are donating bracelets back to their travelers, showing guests exactly how their visit helps protect the leopards they came to see.
Final Call: Auction Items Still Available
We have three items left from our auction, and they are absolute showstoppers:
Tristan Cary & Mark Dumbleton Prints: Two stunning A2 format prints from these talented photographers. Sponsored by Orms Printing Room, the quality is world-class.
Kusile by Tristan Cary. Price: R5000 
The lady in the rain by Mark Dumbleton. Price: R5500 The Ntsakelo Ambassador Print: An A0 print of the magnificent painting by Vanessa Lomas (2023). This piece will fill your space with the wild, untamed spirit of the Lowveld
Photopraher: Owen Grobler. Artist: Vanessa Lomas. Price: R15,000.
Don’t wait—these are meaningful gifts that contribute directly to our upcoming structural mitigation budget (Goal: September 2026!).
Every sign we hang and every kilometer we patrol is only possible because of your generosity; please consider a donation today to help us reach our September 2026 goal for permanent structural road solutions.
Thanks for all your efforts. Keep up the good work 👏