LOUIS TRICHARDT – Land owners wanting to obtain permits for the sport hunting of leopard are once again invited to sent in applications forms as part of Leopard Hunting System 2003.

The leopard is classified as a protected Wild Animal and is listed in Appendix 1 of CITES, which controls the international trade in live animals and any derivative thereof. South Africa applied for an annual quota to be allocated to leopard skins (to be exported) where such animal formed a part of a personal sport hunting trophy or where owners of skins or trophies immigrate to other countries. In this regard, a quota of 75 was approved for South Africa, divided between the Limpopo Province (40), Mpumalanga (10), Northwest (15), Gauteng, Kwazulu Natal (10), Eastern Cape and Northern Cape. The Department of Environmental Affairs can revise the division of the quota annually.

Landowners eligible to apply are those with a property unit of between 1 000 and 8 000ha and owners with a game farm of a 1 000ha or larger.

In respect to property units between 1 000 and 8 000ha, only one application per landowner will be accepted. All applications must be hand delivered, sent by registered mail or sent by courier service to the local Conservation Office. The closing date for applications is December 15, 2002 and each application will be verified during three verification and evaluation processes. The draw will also take place in December.

As far as large properties with a minimum size of 8 000ha are concerned, only one application per landowner will also be accepted. This application must be accompanied by a management plan, which includes the management of leopard. Applications not accompanied by a management plan will not be considered. The closing date for applications is also December 15 and game farms that conform to criteria and application requirements will be evaluated and considered for a leopard tag.

Within the Vhembe region, application forms are available at the conservation office in Louis Trichardt, the Messina Nature Reserve and the Langjan Nature Reserve.

For more information, phone Mr McMurtrie at Tel (015) 516 0002.