Shiloweni root canal and successful focus

It was last reported that male leopard Shiloweni (Panthera pardus) was in a boma on Karongwe Reserve awaiting a new set of upper canines. This proved to be even more complicated than initially thought and after a number of months of deliberation and communication with various leopard experts, veterinary authorities and other relevant parties, reserve management decided against the planned prosthetic teeth. Because concensus and previous records indicate that an adult leopard should be able to feed and fend for itself with only one set of canines intact, the revised plan was to do root canals on each of Shiloweni’s remaining lower canines and then release him onto the reserve, monitoring his health, kill rate, and behaviour around humans carefully.

The root canals were completed about two weeks ago and GVI research teams have since been monitoring him from dusk til dawn every night. He surprised and delighted the team that was on first watch, by killing and eating a Green Pigeon within minutes of leaving the boma! He followed this up with a few unsuccessful attempts on warthogs (Phacochoerus aethiopicus) and then, on the fourth night after release, he killed an adult male impala (Aepyceros melampus), ate about 60% of it before it was stolen by spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), this is a perfectly common occurence. He has spent much of the time in the south of the reserve and a lot of this along or near the fence-line, though as the focus has progressed he seems to have ventured away from the fences more. His behaviour around people and buildings has been perfectly normal. He is relaxed and well-habituated to the presence of vehicles and the people in them but goes about his business without much regard for their presence.

The focus will continue for another few days to a week.

Shiloweni root canal and successful focus