One employee suspended after upsetting leopard video

SKUKUZA - Following the promise of further communication from SANParks after a video of a dead leopard being slapped was circulated on social media on July 20, a statement was released late on July 21.

SANParks again strongly condemned the behaviour depicted on the video after a leopard had been euthanised in the Kruger National Park and struck by a man in front of onlookers.

“Such actions are contrary to the ethos of the organisation, whose primary goal is to conserve biodiversity and act as the custodian of our wildlife.”

SANParks said investigations were well under way and statements had been taken from rangers and other employees present.

When the press release was issued, a small number of statements had still been still outstanding, which the park said would still be collected.

“The incident arose after the rangers had euthanised a leopard on Sunday July 17, and the leopard was being retrieved to be taken for a post-mortem.”

SANParks said the leopard had been shot just 30m away from where an employee of the Shalati Concession, en route to work, had been attacked shortly before by a leopard. This was the second such attack on a worker employed in the park since

June 26, and had occurred in the same area as the previous one.

“In line with SANParks’ policies and standard operating procedures on the management of damage-causing animals, a decision was taken to euthanise the leopard to safeguard human life.

“SANParks has taken steps to positively identify all persons in the video and the organisation can confirm that four of the nine implicated persons are SANParks employees, of which three are rangers. A further three individuals are employed by concessions who operate in the park and the last one is employed as an environmental monitor.

“The ninth person who was filmed striking the euthanised leopard was visiting the park and is not a SANParks employee. SANParks is aware of his identity, and is taking legal advice on sanctions to be imposed on him.”

The statement further said the state vet’s post-mortem report confirmed that the cause of death was from bullet wounds and not as a result of any other actions.

“On the basis of the evidence received, one employee has been suspended pending disciplinary action, and line management is finalising their approach with respect to other employees who may have transgressed SANParks’ policies and code of conduct.” The park said this process would be completed by Friday July 22.

SANParks again made it clear that the actions of these individuals run counter to conservation management and the ethos of the organisation. It said during the course of next week, a campaign would be embarked upon among all employees within the park to reinforce these values and ethics.

“The organisation commits to managing the outcomes in an open and transparent manner while respecting the requirements of all legislation pertaining to this regrettable incident.”

The statement said management had aimed to have a final report completed by Wednesday July 27, which would make recommendations to the SANParks board on how to ensure that such incidences do not occur again.

Feedback following the final report was not available at the time of going to press.

SANParks again made it clear that the actions of these individuals run counter to conservation management