Devoted search and refusal to give up has resulted in the first evidence of the presence of leopard (Panthera pardus) in Georgia in nearly 12 years – a photo of a presumably male individual, taken on August 25, 2021 by one of our camera traps in Tusheti, Northeast Georgia, was recently discovered as the NACRES Conservation Research Team led by Bejan Lortkipanidze went back to the study area to collected data.

The leopard study was conducted by the initiative and financial support of the WWF Caucasus Programme Office and we dedicate this success to our late friend and colleague Dr. Nugzar Zazanashvili (also see The Persian Leopard is back in Georgia by Tatjana Rosen).

Another camera trap photo of presumably the same individual was taken again in August 2022.

NACRES team continues the leopard survey in Tusheti and Khevsureti with the support of CNF’s community ranger’s programme.

Leopard footprints were last found in the Vashlovani Protected Areas in 2009. They belonged to Noah, the very first documented live Caucasian leopard. NACRES research team first found Noah’s footprints in Vashlovani in 2003 and then monitored the young male leopard by tracking and camera trapping for almost 5 years (see BBC report on Noah).