Synthetic furs give wild cats a lifeline
A NEW project has been launched to protect hundreds of leopards, lions and servals in Zambia.
Global wild cat conservation organisation Panthera and the Barotse Royal Establishment of the Lozi People in partnership with Peace Parks Foundation and Cartier launched the Saving Spots project – an innovative and conservation initiative to protect declining wild cat populations using synthetic leopard, serval and lion furs known as “Heritage Furs”.
Held annually on the Zambezi River in the Barotseland Kingdom, the Kuomboka Festival (meaning “to get out of the water”) involves passage of His Majesty the Lozi King between palaces by barge.
Historically, the king’s barge has carried approximately 200 paddlers adorned with ornate, full-length skirts or lipatelo made of nearly a thousand leopard and serval furs.
Paddlers have also traditionally worn red berets topped with lion mane headpieces, known as mishukwe. Panthera scientists estimate that at the Lozi’s annual Kuomboka Festival the paddlers dress in furs from approximately 150 leopards and 800 servals.
This year, with the rollout of the new conservation initiative at the Royal Palace in Mongu, festival attendees received 200 Panthera-created synthetic leopard and serval fur lipatelo and 200 synthetic lion mishukwe, which conservationists hope will help to reduce the hunting of hundreds of wild cats across southern Africa where the species are severely threatened, and give populations a chance to recover.
His Royal Highness the Lozi Senior Chief Inyambo Yeta said: “The Barotse Royal Establishment was concerned that leopard and other cat populations were dwindling in Zambia and as a conservation-oriented establishment worked with Panthera to devise a culturally-appropriate solution to reduce the impact on wild cats.”
Lozi leadership was instrumental in ensuring adoption of the Heritage Furs, with official endorsement and valuable design input provided by the king and the senior chief.
Working with digital designers, Panthera arranged for the manufacturing of the ceremonial regalia in China and tailoring in South Africa. Along with the garments donated last week, Panthera will provide an additional 400 Heritage Furs to the Barotse Royal Establishment.
Panthera leopard programme director and conservation science deputy director Dr Guy Balme said: “The rollout of the Heritage Furs to the Lozi people offers a lifeline to leopards in Zambia and beyond.”
Speaking on behalf of His Majesty the Litunga Lubosi Imwiko II in front of his council, and Lozi community, the prime minister of Barotseland, Manyando Mukela, said: “We are grateful for Panthera’s partnership in saving Zambia’s wildlife.
“Only an expert could tell the difference between the garments and original furs. We greatly look forward to all the paddlers using these at the next Kuomboka Festival.”