Park officials say the return of the leopard is a symbol of hope for the future.
Photos – Beto Tenente
Two more leopards—a male and a female—have been successfully relocated from Karingani Game Reserve to Gorongosa National Park.
This relocation, the result of a partnership between the Park, the Karingani Game Reserve, and the Mozambique Wildlife Alliance, reflects a shared commitment to ecological balance and strengthening biodiversity.
The successful 2024 relocation builds on a four-year initiative to strengthen the park’s predator population. According to park officials, the recent relocations are about more than numbers—they’re about the ecological roles the leopards will play in the ecosystem.
The Karingani team provided the leopards, and the Mozambique Wildlife Alliance offered essential operational and logistical support, ensuring their safe capture, transport, and release into Gorongosa National Park. According to Park officials, the leopard relocation demonstrates the strength of collaborative conservation. With dedicated support from Karingani Game Reserve, the Mozambique Wildlife Alliance, and the National Administration of Conservation Areas, the initiative goes beyond the numbers and restoring a critical species—it reflects a commitment to preserving Mozambique’s biodiversity for generations to come.
As the new leopards acclimate to their environment, they will contribute to the park’s balanced predator-prey dynamics, which Gorongosa monitors closely through its biennial wildlife counts.
With each addition, Park officials say they are working toward a balanced, thriving environment where predators and prey coexist, building on the park’s resilience and biodiversity.
In March 2018, Gorongosa National Park cameras captured an image of a leopard for the first time in 14 years, signaling hope for the predator’s return.
In November 2020, the Park received its first official leopard translocation with the release of a female, The project, three years in the making, was made possible with support from the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Authority and WildlifeVets.
In 2021, three more adult leopards—two males and one female—were brought to Gorongosa National Park from South Africa by air, further strengthening the park’s predator population.
As a leader in conservation, Gorongosa National Park is proud to contribute to Mozambique’s commitment to biodiversity protection and to set a global example in ecosystem restoration.
