While you can spot big cats in local game reserves around the Cape, we’ve looked a little bit closer at the four wild cats that call the Western Cape home.
Leopard
You’d be extremely lucky to spot a leopard in the wild. The notoriously shy creatures roam the mountainous areas around the Cederberg, Boland, and Overstrand regions of the Western Cape and are known to avoid humans.
If you want a guaranteed look at a leopard though, your most likely bet is the Bronze Leopard which can be spotted on Chapman's Peak Drive. The bronze statute, sculpted by Ivan Mitford-Barberton, was placed in its current spot in March 1963 and was dedicated to the wildlife that once called the area home.
More info:
Cheetah
The last wild cheetah in the Karoo was seen in the 1870s, with conservation efforts seeing the population being reintroduced to the area in 2004. With scientists estimating that there are fewer than 8000 African cheetahs in the wild, the chances of spotting these beautiful creatures around the Cape are limited to conservation projects and outreach programmes.
Outreach and conservation:
- Cango Wildlife Ranch Cheetah Preservation Foundation, Oudtshoorn
- Ashia Cheetah Conservation, Paarl
- Cheetah Outreach, Somerset West
- Inverdoorn Game Reserve Cheetah Conservation Project, Breede River
- Western Cape Cheetah Conservation
Black-footed cat
The black-footed cat, or the small-spotted cat, is the smallest wild cat in Africa. Weighing less than 2kg, the black-footed cat is a nocturnal hunter that can be referred to as “anti-social”. If you want to up your chances of a sighting though, this wildcat is endemic to Southern Africa and can be found in open, dry savannas and shrubland in the Karoo.
See Black-footed cat:
- Jukani Wildlife Ranch, Plettenberg Bay
Caracal
Caracals are one of the last remaining predators in the Cape Peninsula and are vital to maintaining biodiversity in the region as one of the last remaining predators. Thanks to the Urban Caracal Project and their work towards documenting sightings of these animals, we know that you’re likely to spot these elusive creatures in the wild around the province, particularly in San Parks's protected areas, such as Table Mountain National Park.
See Caracal:
- De Hoop Nature Reserve, Overberg
- Jukani Wildlife Ranch, Plettenberg Bay
- Anysberg Nature Reserve, Little Karoo
Please note: Due to current lockdown regulations, some of the venues listed above may not be open to the public.
