SCI Foundation’s Leopard Research Project
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The Botswana Leopard Project represents the first Safari Club International Foundation (SCIF) initiative implemented entirely by our in-house research team—a major milestone in expanding SCIF’s footprint and advancing its African Big Cats Conservation Strategy across the continent. Through extensive camera-trap surveys, we documented not only leopard populations but a rich diversity of wildlife—from elephants in the lush Okavango Delta to lions in the arid Kalahari and brown hyenas across the sandy landscapes of southern Botswana—providing a comprehensive picture of biodiversity across contrasting ecosystems.
Over three years of intensive fieldwork, our team surveyed leopards across multiple land uses within an area of approximately 12,000 km²—nearly three times the size of Rhode Island. With more than 1,000 camera stations deployed, we recorded 1,424 leopard detections and identified 427 individual animals. Following the successful completion of the Botswana survey, our team has expanded operations into South Africa, continuing with the same objective: to generate robust, science-based data that supports informed leopard management and long-term conservation.
This initiative continues to thrive thanks to the unwavering support of our members and donors, and we look forward to expanding into Zambia, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe in 2026.
