Monthly newsletter - November 2025
Data drives action with new predator signs & a huge thank you to our generous donors
As the year draws to a close, we are thrilled to share the preliminary results from our dry season camera trap survey, focusing on wildlife movement through road culverts. The data collected has been invaluable, revealing crucial insights into how leopards are utilizing—or failing to utilize—these vital under-road crossings.
The Culvert Commuters: Who’s Crossing and How Often?
Our camera traps recorded leopards a remarkable 147 times near and in the culverts under the R40 road during the survey period. Analyzing this extensive footage has led to some breakthrough findings.
The Numbers Behind the Crossings:
We identified 12 individual leopards using the culverts—9 adults and 3 cubs.
The adult users included 4 males and 5 females.
Out of the 147 leopard captures, they actively used the culverts 66% of the time, demonstrating that these structures are frequently utilized when available.
22% of the surveyed culverts were confirmed to be used by leopards.
Meet the Commuters:
We were excited to recognize several known individuals utilizing the culverts, including the Lion Pan female, the Black Dot female, Bokamoso, Rhulani, the Corkwood male, Mafu and Medupi.
However, the biggest surprise was the identification of a completely new male! He has been officially designated WildRivers_LM0001 and has been named Nigel, in memory of a beloved community member from Wild Rivers Nature Reserve who recently passed away. Nigel was captured engaging in fascinating behavior (more on that below!).
A Culvert Courtship
Our cameras caught a rare glimpse into the private lives of our leopards, capturing two individuals mating in front of one of the culverts!
The pair was identified as Rhulani (from Tshukudu) and the new male, WildRivers_LM0001. The intimate moment was interrupted by an unexpected fellow culvert user: a porcupine!
This sighting provides crucial data on the reproductive timing of our local leopards. Rhulani was seen with cubs of roughly 5 to 6 months old in June, but their disappearance, followed by her mating with WildRivers_LM0001 at the end of August, tragically suggests the cubs did not survive. While sad, this is a part of the natural cycle. We are now hopeful that Rhulani will successfully raise a new litter very soon.
Intriguing Behavioural Observations
The footage of Rhulani and Nigel has raised interesting questions about leopard decision-making:
Both individuals were seen multiple times separately crossing the road directly above the culverts instead of using them.
Yet, when they were together, they chose to use the culvert.
The video of WildRivers crossing the road reveals his nervousness, with him visibly deciding to move only when the sound of passing traffic subsides.
Analyzing this footage further will help us understand the factors—such as social presence, traffic volume, and perceived risk—that influence a leopard’s choice to use a culvert or risk crossing the road.
Advocacy Success: A Dedicated Sign for the Apex Predator
The tragic loss of Selati_LM0025 to a road collision in October underscored the urgent need for action. We utilized our preliminary analysis of roadkill and wildlife crossing data to identify key hotspots for mitigation.
We engaged in extensive discussions with the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL), sharing our crucial data on the threat the R40 poses to local wildlife. This collaboration has yielded a monumental success:
SANRAL has agreed to create and deploy a unique, dedicated predator crossing sign, using the leopard as the emblematic species.
While road signs exist for general wildlife, a dedicated sign for charismatic apex predators like the leopard did not previously exist—making this a landmark achievement for conservation.
These new signs will be deployed very soon at two key locations, approximately 14 km apart, identified as high-risk roadkill and crossing hotspots. This is the same stretch where we have tragically lost four leopards to date. We are extremely proud to have cultivated a trusting and supportive relationship with SANRAL to make this happen.
How You Can Support Our Work
The success of our research, advocacy, and mitigation efforts depends entirely on your support.
Please consider donating or becoming a sponsor today. Your contribution ensures we can purchase and maintain camera traps, analyze crucial footage, and continue our high-level engagement with key stakeholders like SANRAL.
Tax Benefit: We are a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO), and South African taxpayers can receive an S18A tax certificate for all eligible donations.
A Huge Thank You to Our Sponsors and Partners
The progress detailed above would not be possible without the generous support of all individuals donating to Ingwe as well as our dedicated sponsors:
The Black Sheep Agency: We extend our deepest gratitude to The Black Sheep Agency for their fourth donation to Ingwe, bringing their total contribution to just over R23,000! Their continuous support allows us to get back into the field for the next survey season starting in January. Moreover, they are supporting the upcoming launch of a new product that will not only provide Ingwe with extra funding but also allow travelers to carry Ingwe’s mission all over the world! Stay tuned!
Africa Geographic: We are incredibly relieved and grateful to announce an astonishing contribution of R232,195 (USD 13,620) from Africa Geographic. This contribution comes at a critical time, providing great relief as we finalize funding for the next phase of the road ecology project. We are very much looking forward to using these funds to complete the data collection process for the road ecology project. Our next field survey will run from January until the beginning of April, which will provide us with all the necessary data to implement further mitigation measures to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions.
Africa Geographic donates a portion of the revenue from every safari they sell to carefully selected conservation projects that make a significant difference at ground level. With a deep commitment to protecting Africa’s wild spaces, AG supports organisations like Ingwe Research Program, which are actively safeguarding critical ecosystems and iconic species. Read more about Africa Geographic here.
Thank you for helping us protect the leopards who share our roads and landscapes.