City’s vets save ensnared, pregnant leopard

 

A crack Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo team led by veterinarian Dr Katja Koeppel saved the life of a heavily pregnant leopard after she was ensnared in the Magaliesburg area in North West on Wednesday.

Following a drama-filled operation that required quick thinking and bold decisions by Dr Koeppel and his colleagues – Bishop Ngobeli and Dr Francois le Grange – the three- to four-year-old leopard is now on her way to full recovery at the Johannesburg Zoo’s hospital.

It all began when Dr Koeppel was contacted on National Heritage Day by Bob Boden of the “Leopards for the Future”, who told him there was a pregnant leopard that had been ensnared in the Magaliesberg area and asked if he and his team could assist with medical treatment.

Shortly thereafter – around lunchtime – Dr Koeppel received another call. This time it was from John Power of the North West Nature Conservation, who informed him that a leopard had been found in a bad condition and that it was already en route to Johannesburg by helicopter.

Power also informed him that the helicopter would land at Charlotte Maceke General Hospital’s helipad within 25 minutes and that he would need to collect the leopard from there.

Dr Koeppel and his colleagues swiftly leapt into action and headed for the Charlotte Maceke Hospital’s helipad to receive the badly injured and heavily pregnant animal from helicopter pilot Frank Molteno and wildlife veterinarian Paul Bartels and rush her to the Johannesburg Zoo’s hospital.

She had a large gash on her left chest after being ensnared. The snare had probably been designed for antelope.

“I collected her in a crate and rushed her to the Johannesburg Zoo’s hospital under sedation. At the hospital, she was stabilised and given fluids and medication. Her large wound was sutured in theatre.

“In a two-hour procedure, Dr Le Grange and I debrided and sutured the large infected wound,” says Dr Koeppel.

“She made good recovery from the anaesthetic and we hope she will recover from her wounds and can be released into a safe area in a couple of weeks. North West Nature Conservation is trying to find a suitable release site. She is recovering at the Johannesburg Zoo’s hospital and will not be released into any of the enclosures for public viewing.”