Learn about leopards
Tristan Dickerson's work has focused on capturing, collaring and radio tracking the leopard population in Phinda Game Reserve.
TRISTAN Dickerson, a South African zoologist, is the guest speaker at the next Friends of Kloof Library Forum at the Kloof Junior Primary School on Wednesday, 8 February at 6pm. Tristan’s interest in predators led him to join Panthera’s Munyana Leopard Project.
After studying biology and behavioural ecology at UKZN, Tristan worked as a research assistant for Pilanesburg National Park Elephant Project and the Phinda Black Rhino Project.
In the five years that he has been with Panthera his work has focused on capturing, collaring and radio tracking the leopard population in Phinda Game Reserve. Much of his work now also involves physical tracking of Phinda’s leopards and mitigating human-leopard conflicts in KZN.
Most recently Tristan has worked through Panthera’s Furs for Life Leopard Project to create a high quality, affordable and realistic fake leopard skin for use among the followers of the Shembe Church. The Shembe community now encompasses five to 11 million members who wear leopard skins during religious ceremonies.
Tristan has developed strong partnerships with the Shembe Church and its leaders are now encouraging followers to utilise Panthera’s fake skins which last much longer than real skins and are a fraction of the cost. Tickets for the forum cost R35 (for members of Friends) or R50 for visitors, and will be available from Kloof Library on 031 764 7543.
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