Why are we stressing so much that the situation of the leopards in Israel is so urgent? The story of the leopards in Israel is one of many ups and downs.
In 1965, the last leopard in the Galilee (a region in the north of Israel) was killed by an old Bedouin goat herder and that was the end for the northern population of leopards in Israel. In that same year a group of Bedouins killed a female leopard in the Judean desert that attacked a camel. That was when the Israeli authorities first became aware of the fact that there are leopards in the southern parts of Israel as well. The leopard population in the south was barely disturbed in the following years with rare sightings - largely due to a small presence of humans across the leopards' home range at the time.
Research in the 1980's
In 1980, following sightings of leopards in a region of the Judean desert, the first leopard study was initiated by the late Zoologist Giora Illani (then working for Israel's "Nature and Parks Authority" INPA). In this study (that entailed an invasive methodology) several leopards in the Judean desert were trapped, radio-collared, and then released. The study was terminated in 1990 when Illani finished his position in the INPA and the collected data was never published.
At the beginning of that study in the 1980's the leopard population in the Judean desert was considered to be stable with several males and females and sightings of leopards were not a rare occasion. By the end of this study in 1990 this population was severely reduced. Two of the females were taken to captivity by the INPA due to civilians' complaints that they turned to prey on domestic animals. A third female was shot by a soldier. Two additional females were removed from the Judean desert (one was killed by a bus when crossing the road, another was poisoned). Overall, the removal of five females over a relatively short period caused a severe change in the sex ratio of the leopard population of the Judean desert. This in turn led to a situation in which the males that remained would kill new cubs so that they could mate with the mother. This initiated a 'snowball' situation where no female could raise cubs to adulthood, eventually contibuting to the population collapse.
"The story of the leopards in Israel is one of many ups and downs."
Later Research
This (practically speaking) extinction of the Judean desert population is perhaps most evident from the data that emerged from the second (and so far the last) leopards' study in Israel that ended in 2003. According to that study, only one male and one female were still present in the Judean desert. The interference of the INPA in taking two females out of their natural habitat into captivity and the death of 3 more females in a short period of time are thought to be a significant factor in the probable extinction of this population. That being said, there is no real evidence that the invasive study itself from the 1980's was harming the leopards or contributing to their extinction. The leopards that were monitored reproduced and survived during the study period.
The second study on leopards in Israel was a non-invasive one and was based on DNA extraction from leopards' scat. This study indicated the presence of a minimum of 8 leopards in Israel: 2 in the Judean desert and 6 in the Negev Highlands. However, it ended 13 years ago and no study ever followed. The reported life-span of leopards in the wild (in Israel) is 12 to 15 years and accordingly it is very likely that much has changed since the last study. According to ecologists from the INPA no leopard was captured on cameras that are spread over regions of the Negev Highlands and the Judean deserts in the past 5 years. This information is disturbing and practically means that to date there is no certainty in the persistence of a leopard's population in the Negev Highlands or elsewhere in Israel (at least not a verified one). This lack of data has dire consequences and impedes any conservation effort regarding the leopards in Israel.
"[...] to date there is no certainty in the persistence of a leopard's population in the Negev Highlands or elsewhere in Israel [...]. This lack of data has dire consequences and impedes any conservation effort regarding the leopards in Israel."
The Arabian Leopard Project
The study that we, the Arabian Leopard Project, are intending to conduct this summer is a camera-based non-invasive study aiming at solving two issues of great importance. Firstly, we wish to confirm the very existence of a population in the Negev Highlands (there is no such confirmation since 2003!). Secondly, (and if such a population indeed exists) we intend, through a census-like study design, to provide an accurate estimate of the population's size and composition. This data is crucial for future conservation efforts in order to try and save the population of Arabian leopards in Israel.
The locations of the leopards sightings from our study are going to remain classified as more than anything else, the greatest threat for the leopards' survival is still human interference. Accordingly, we commit to a non-invasive study method and to no interference in the leopards' life whatsoever.
"[...] more than anything else, the greatest threat for the leopards' survival is still human interference. Accordingly, we commit to a non-invasive study method and to no interference in the leopards' life whatsoever."
The Arabian leopard is a Critically Endangered species (this is the highest rank of risk of extinction as defined by the IUCN!) and with not many individuals remaining in the wild worldwide in small and fragmented populations. Verified populations exist only in Oman (the biggest population in the world that is estimated at about 50), Israel (last verified number of individuals was 8), and Yemen (unknown number of individuals and unstable political situation that entails complete lack of protection to whatever population that still persist there). Accordingly, we assert that the situation of the Arabian leopards has never been more dire and urgent! Or, as Dr. Breitenmoser from the IUCN has put: "Unless drastic action is taken across their range, I'm afraid that the Arabian leopard is not going to make it".
Our project came to life out of an understanding that if nothing will be done (and rather soon) the Arabian leopards in Israel will go extinct! This will also have great impact on the increasingly shrinking world population of the species as this will result in a complete disappearance of an entire gene pool that is much needed for successful maintenance of a healthy population of this species.
"Unless drastic action is taken across their range, I'm afraid that the Arabian leopard is not going to make it." - Dr. Breitenmoser from the IUCN
We believe that this project is one of the most deserving ones. If not for the leopards' sake than at least for the sake of an entire unique ecosystem in the Negev Highlands that conservation efforts for the leopard will help to better preserve. What we wish, is to see these majestic animals continue to roam the Negev Highlands and we need your help to do so! Please support us in saving the Arabian leopard, they might not have as much time as one might think.
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