Water-use by southern Kalahari leopards

Water-use by southern Kalahari leopards was studied in the southwestern part of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park where boreholes equipped with windmills, reservoirs and water troughs formed part of the management practice. The body fluids of prey, metabolic water and surface water formed the sources of water for these leopards, but there was no significant difference between the frequency of water-use by adult males, females without cubs, and females with cubs. Male leopards in the southern Kalahari either drank water or had access to moisture in the form of kills at known intervals of 2.7 days or 39.7 km, compared with 2.2 days and 29.4 km for females without cubs, and 1.6 days and 23.6 km for females with cubs. Succulent, wild fruits were utilized, but only infrequently so. The leopards drank borehole water that could be potentially hazardous to their health and decrease their productivity. This can have serious wildlife management implications.