What Cape Leopard Trust does

Cape Leopard Trust (CLT) is a non-profit environmental NGO founded in 2004 and headquartered in Tokai, Cape Town, South Africa, with a team of 16 staff. Its mission is to protect leopards and leopard landscapes in the Western Cape and to support human-wildlife coexistence through a three-pillar model: research, conservation, and environmental education. The organisation's primary technical platform is a non-invasive camera-trapping programme using motion- and infrared-triggered cameras deployed across approximately 15,000 km² of mountain habitat, generating photographic data that is curated into a leopard identification database and used in statistical population-density models. A Scientific Advisory Board drawn from University of Mpumalanga, Stellenbosch University, University of Cape Town, CPUT, Zoological Society London, and Panthera provides scientific oversight, and the organisation has produced 64 peer-reviewed publications to date.

CLT's product surface includes the Leopard Data Portal (public access to research data), a Data Submission Portal (crowdsourced wildlife observation submission), an Online Shop selling branded merchandise, environmental education programmes (eco-club lessons, subsidised conservation camps, snare-awareness training), and a donation portal that accepts SnapScan, credit card, and EFT contributions and issues Section 18A tax certificates under its registered Public Benefit Organisation status. The organisation operates on a donation-and-sponsorship revenue model with diversified institutional funders including Mapula Trust, Maria Marina Foundation, Ford Wildlife Foundation, Oak Foundation, ABAX Foundation, and others; it also generates ancillary revenue from merchandise sales.

CLT's beneficiary base spans rural farmers and landowners (human-wildlife conflict mitigation, snare removal, >250 conflict calls supported since 2019), schools and youth (>90,000 learners reached since 2013, >10,000 children's books distributed), academic institutions (PhD and MSc co-supervision), and the general donor public. Strategic academic partnerships with Panthera, Nelson Mandela University, and the broader Scientific Advisory Board underpin research credibility, and the organisation has begun geographic expansion into the Eastern Cape via a PhD research collaboration initiated in February 2023.

Name

Cape Leopard Trust

Legal name

Cape Leopard Trust

Website

https://capeleopard.org.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cape Leopard Trust is a 2004-founded South African non-profit NGO that protects leopards and leopard landscapes in the Western Cape through camera-trap research, human-wildlife conflict mitigation for farmers, and environmental education programmes reaching over 90,000 learners since 2013.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Cruelty Prevention, Investigation & Humane Law Enforcement (BPAGAIAG), International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD)

Keywords

• Leopard conservation
• Wildlife research
• Environmental education
• Human-wildlife conflict
• Camera trap monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokai, Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorship: CLT is fully reliant on financial support from private and corporate sector donors. As a registered Public Benefit Organisation, donations qualify for Section 18A tax certificates making them tax deductible for companies or individuals.
2. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling clothing items and merchandise that promotes awareness and increases visibility of the organisation, with R100 basic shipping.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cape Leopard Trust is an environmental NGO that protects leopards and leopard landscapes in the Western Cape, South Africa through three synergistic pillars: collaborative research using non-invasive camera trapping and population surveys; conservation action including snare awareness/removal, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, and farmer support; and environmental education reaching schools and youth. The organisation is funded by donations and sponsorships and offers an online shop, donation portal, data submission app, and educational programs.

Product overview

The Cape Leopard Trust operates as an environmental NGO offering a portfolio of interconnected conservation services rather than a unified software product. Its core offerings include the Leopard Data Portal (for accessing and submitting research data), an Online Shop (selling branded merchandise for fundraising), a Data Submission Portal (for field data collection), Environmental Education Programs (delivering conservation curriculum to schools), and a Donation Portal (enabling tax-deductible contributions). Supporting resources include Scientific Publications, an Information Centre with downloadable materials, and a Newsletter Subscription service. The organization also conducts camera trap research as a foundational methodology for population monitoring. These offerings function as integrated components of the NGO's mission to protect leopards through collaborative research, conservation, education, and strategic communications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Online Shop An e-commerce platform selling branded clothing and merchandise that promotes leopard conservation awareness and serves as a fundraising channel. Ships nationwide with R100 basic shipping.
• Donation Portal Online donation system with tiered donation amounts (R500, R800, R1000, R2000, R5000, R10000) tied to specific conservation outcomes such as farmer support, vehicle fuel, eco-club lessons, snare awareness, camera traps, and subsidised camps. Accepts SnapScan, credit card, and EFT. US supporters can donate via Empowers Africa. Section 18A tax-deductible certificates provided.
• Environmental Education Programs Educational programs delivered by environmental educators to schools and youth groups, including eco-club lessons, snare awareness training, conservation camps, and field trips using a 21-seater bus. Programs have reached over 90,000 learners since 2013.
• Newsletter Subscription Email newsletter providing regular updates about the organisation's conservation work, research findings, and conservation news.

Quantifiable outcome

• 64 peer-reviewed scientific papers published
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• PantheracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational NGO dedicated to wild cat conservation. Dr Gareth Mann coordinates leopard monitoring in South Africa, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe for Panthera. PhD student Silindokuhle Tokota's research is co-funded by Panthera. Partnership involves collaborative leopard research and conservation.
• Nelson Mandela University (NMU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSilindokuhle Tokota enrolled as PhD student at NMU George campus in February 2023. Research project to estimate leopard densities and investigate ecological corridors in Eastern Cape Province conducted in collaboration with CLT and Panthera.
• University of MpumalangacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProf Dan Parker serves as Associate Professor at University of Mpumalanga and chairs CLT's Scientific Advisory Board.
• Stellenbosch UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProf Alison Leslie is Associate Professor in Department of Conservation Ecology And Entomology at Stellenbosch University. Serves on CLT Scientific Advisory Board.
• University of Cape TowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr Jacqueline Bishop and Dr Gareth Mann are affiliated with UCT. Dr Mann is Honorary Research Affiliate at UCT. Both serve on CLT Scientific Advisory Board.
• Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProf Frans Radloff is Associate Professor in Department of Conservation and Marine Science at CPUT. Serves on CLT Scientific Advisory Board.
• Zoological Society London (ZSL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr Rajan Amin is Senior Wildlife Biologist at ZSL and Technical Advisor to CLT. Focuses on conservation biology and science-based conservation of threatened species.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Peace Parks Foundation: Transfrontier conservation NGO operating across southern African landscapes. Comparable in donor-funded model, partnership-driven conservation at scale, and footprint in leopard range states; broader landscape-level focus rather than single-species research.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: Major international conservation organization running field programs including wild cat conservation in Africa. Comparable in science-based field research, protected landscape management, and large NGO donor-supported model; substantially larger scale and broader species mandate.
• WWF South Africa: South African affiliate of WWF focused on conservation, including big cat and landscape programs. Comparable in nonprofit donation-funded model, research-driven approach, and South African conservation sector positioning; broader species and ecosystem scope than CLT.
• Panthera: International wild cat conservation NGO and CLT's explicit research partner. Panthera operates at global scale across leopard range states; comparable in mission (leopard conservation), research-driven methodology, and donor-funded model, but with substantially larger footprint and budget.
• Fauna & Flora International: International conservation NGO with species protection programs including carnivores. Comparable in research-led, partnership-based conservation model, scientific publications output, and donor-funded operations; global footprint versus CLT's regional focus.
• CapeNature: Western Cape biodiversity statutory body managing nature reserves and conservation programs in the same geography as CLT. Comparable in protected-area conservation mission and Western Cape focus; CLT's recently appointed Operations Director (Natalie Hayward) was previously CapeNature's Executive Director of Conservation Operations.

Regional players

• Conservation South Luangwa: Zambian conservation NGO with comparable field-research, community-engagement, and donation-funded nonprofit model applied to large carnivore landscapes; included as an analog for a regionally focused, science-driven carnivore conservation NGO of similar organizational scale.
• South African National Parks (SANParks): South Africa's statutory national parks agency managing protected areas across the country. Comparable in conservation mission and South African geography, including managing habitats where CLT leopards range; operates as a government entity rather than a donor-funded NGO.

Direct peers

• Snow Leopard Trust: International NGO dedicated exclusively to a single large wild cat species. Comparable one-species focus, scientific research methodology (camera trapping), community-based conservation, and donor-funded nonprofit model; serves as the analog model for a single-felid conservation trust at global scale.
• Endangered Wildlife Trust: South African conservation NGO working on threatened species including carnivores. Comparable in mission (wildlife conservation, research, community engagement), nonprofit funding model, and South African geography, while operating across multiple species rather than focusing exclusively on leopards.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/capeleopardtrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cape Leopard Trust