An adult male leopard was found electrocuted on an Eskom distribution line in the Nuy area near Worcester on Friday.
The incident was reported by the landowner after he noticed a power outage and discovered the animal suspended from an 11kV line.
CapeNature and the Rooiberg Conservancy, suspect the animal may have been fleeing from some kind of threat, possibly a baboon troop or another territorial leopard, and climbed the pole in an attempt to escape.
The animal was an adult male weighing 34.3 kg, in excellent physical condition, estimated at 5–8 years old.
After the line was de‑energised, CapeNature, supported by Eskom and the Conservancy, safely removed the carcass.
Tissue samples and morphological data were collected for scientific analysis, and the carcass preserved.
Picture: The Cape Leopard Trust