West Coast sees leopard return after 170 years

Leopard Roaming West Coast for the First Time in 170 Years!

A leopard has been spotted inside the West Coast National Park for the first time since the 1850s!   Western Cape, South Africa (13 November 2025) – And there are photos. The leopard’s return to the West Coast was caught on a remote camera trap. In one photo, roaming the fynbos, and in the next, staring right back at us. ‘Hello!’ It’s worth celebrating because it means that leopards are naturally moving back into a part of South Africa where the…

First Leopard Photographed in West Coast National Park in 170 Years

Leopard spotted in the West Coast for the first time in 170 Years

For the first time in 170 years, a leopard has been spotted in the West Coast National Park.   SANParks confirmed that images of the big cat were captured on a remote camera trap in August and October, confirming that the elusive predator has returned to the region after more than a century of absence.    “This landmark sighting marks the natural return of the species to South Africa’s coastal landscapes, a powerful […]

West Coast National Park: First Leopard Photographed In 170 Years

Cape Town – In a historic conservation milestone, a leopard has been photographed in the West Coast National Park for the first time in 170 years. South African National Parks (SANParks) said this landmark sighting marks the natural return of the species to South Africa’s coastal landscapes — a powerful sign of ecological recovery. “The leopard had been extirpated as a species in the mid-1800s, and only in the last while naturally returned,” sai…

West Coast sees leopard return after 170 years

In a momentous development for South Africa’s natural heritage, a leopard has been photographed in the West Coast National Park, marking the first confirmed sighting of the species in the area in 170 years. A rare and remarkable comeback Picture: Supplied According to South African National Parks (SANParks), the image was captured by a remote camera trap, confirming that the elusive predator has recolonised a region where it had long been absent…