Content Team 
The Morukuru Goodwill Foundation is proud to support and sponsor the Landmark Foundation’s Leopard Conservation Project in the CapeNature-managed De Hoop Nature Reserve in South Africa. This initiative aims to monitor leopard populations and other mammal species, providing valuable insights into biodiversity, habitat use, and population health.
In collaboration with CapeNature, the project will deploy 31 camera trap stations across the reserve. These strategically placed cameras will help researchers track leopard movements and assess the broader ecological balance within one of South Africa’s most biodiverse regions.
“This collaboration launches a vital initiative to monitor and protect leopards in one of South Africa’s most biodiverse regions. We are very grateful for the support and excited to have already gotten the project underway,” said Dr. Bool Smuts, General Manager of the Landmark Foundation.
The project officially began in January 2025, when Dr. Smuts and researcher Jeannine McManus installed the first camera station near Morukuru Ocean House. Equipped with both daytime colour and nighttime infrared capabilities, these cameras mark the beginning of a long-term effort to balance conservation with sustainable eco-tourism.
“Leopards are keystone predators – crucial to maintaining ecological balance. By investing in this project, we are contributing to the protection of this species while also creating a platform for education and engagement,” said Ed Zeeman, Co-founder of Morukuru Family and the Morukuru Goodwill Foundation.
Beyond conservation, the leopard monitoring project offers a unique eco-tourism experience for guests staying at Morukuru Ocean House and Morukuru Beach Lodge. Visitors will have the opportunity to join camera inspections, interpret camera trap results, and attend presentations by Landmark Foundation experts to gain firsthand insights into leopard conservation.
“As the project progresses, we look forward to offering our guests the chance to deepen their connection with De Hoop Nature Reserve’s extraordinary ecosystem,” Zeeman added.
Spanning over 34,000 hectares, De Hoop Nature Reserve serves as a crucial wildlife sanctuary. However, habitat fragmentation and limited genetic exchange pose significant threats to apex predators such as leopards.
“Insights gained from this project will guide efforts to create ecological corridors and mitigate human-wildlife conflict, ensuring the survival of leopards and many other mammals in the Overberg region,” explained Dr. Smuts.
The camera traps are expected to capture a variety of other wildlife species, including caracals, honey badgers, porcupines, and possibly the elusive African wild cat.
Over the coming months, 30 additional camera trap stations will be installed throughout the reserve. The Landmark Foundation will regularly collect and analyze the data using Spatially Explicit Capture-Recapture (SECR) and Bayesian modeling techniques, ensuring a scientific, data-driven approach to leopard conservation.
This initiative builds on more than 20 years of the Landmark Foundation’s work in leopard conservation, which has included over 74 successful leopard rescues.
