• Big cat biologist, conservation scientist, Nat Geo Explorer, and filmmaker Dr. Alexander Braczkowski on the importance of leopards in the larger ecosystem

  There’s little research and data on the number of big cats and a massive battle ensues for conservation scientists on the accuracy of big cat numbers. But counting cats becomes very relevant in the context of development, conflict, and livelihoods as most often, wildlife is not considered in the larger role they play in the ecological habitats they occupy. Instead, they are considered mere “wildlife” – to be enjoyed on safari, or as the key perpetrator in human-animal conflict.

On Kaleidoscope this week was award-winning conservation scientist Dr. Alexander Braczkowski, setting the bar on carnivore population biology. He is a National Geographic Explorer and filmmaker who was in Sri Lanka recently continuing a research collaboration with the Environmental Foundation Ltd. (EFL) and wildlife scientist Dinal Samarasinghe on a continuation of a landmark study of the leopard population in Wilpattu National Park.

Braczkowski’s 15 years of experience filming and photographing large carnivores spans three continents with the most recent project including an exploration of African carnivore densities in Uganda, a Disney Plus and National Geographic documentary on lions and an assessment of the health benefits of living with leopards. Working with large diverse teams of scientists and storytellers, he contributes to numerous publications including the National Geographic, Science, Nature Ecology and Evolution, and the Lancet.

A career conservation biologist and wildlife photographer, Braczkowski has an MSc on Leopards from the University of Oxford and was conferred his PhD on African Lions from the University of Queensland, Australia. He was on a one-year fellowship project from Luke Gibson Faculty (SUSTech) on the nationwide status of large carnivores in Uganda – the most detailed census of its kind ever attempted in that country. 

Following are excerpts from the interview.

We grapple with numbers when it comes to animals, big cats, specifically, because they’re so elusive. So, why count cats?

There are two key reasons. The first is that they are among our most prized resources anywhere in the world. There are thousands, if not millions of lives that rely on the revenue these cats generate. They are literally the walking cash cows of the jungle. So, I think it’s important that we keep track of the animals that are important for our national parks, and for the people who rely on them.

The second reason is the conservation landscape. There are many NGOs, independent scientists, and governments that are working on these species, but much of the time we forget a key factor: accountability. How do the conservation actions targeted at these species impact them? Are we protecting their habitat, instilling a community revenue-sharing scheme, or introducing compensation for farmers? How do these actions affect the number of cats on the ground? Most importantly, it is accountable to the people who fund the conservation.

Essentially, there are two things: Accountability to donors and to the people involved in conservation, and given the fact that big cats are our most prized resources, understanding there are many people and many lives that rely on the money they generate.

What are the similarities and dissimilarities that you’ve discovered in your studies in Uganda and Sri Lanka?

In a Sri Lankan context, there’s good news. There are still quite a lot of cats on the ground. We must appreciate the work of Dinal Samarasinghe and the broader scientific team that has been working in places like Wilpattu. The research conducted in the North West of Sri Lanka shows there’s actually a large number of leopards left. It’s one of the highest naturally occurring densities anywhere on planet earth: 18 individual cats per 100 square kilometres. What it’s also showing is there’s still a lot of food for them and obviously, and most importantly, there are still many leopards in that landscape.

This is good news because it’s something to look forward to, it’s something to save and something to conserve. In many other places, in the African landscape for instance where I have worked, the focus is on recovery. The cats in those parts of the world have taken a big hit due to poaching or snares, leading to very low densities. 

These are the dissimilarities where Sri Lanka’s focus is on saving what you have but across Uganda, Tanzania, and South Africa, it is about regenerating the species because numbers have depleted.

You’ve been collaborating with the EFL on a research study. What have been your findings?

I’ve been mentoring one of EFL’s scientists, Dinal Samarasinghe, and also helping with fundraising. One of the most important findings Dinal has generated through his survey in Wilpattu is that there is still an abundance of leopards in that area, basically a very good density of leopards. This is indicative not only of a healthy population of carnivores but also of a prey population in a good state.

The most important thing is that Wilpattu is Sri Lanka’s largest and oldest protected area. So, it’ll be good now to expand into places like Yala and other parts of the island.

I also co-authored an article for Global Ecology and Conservation titled, “Evidence for a critical leopard conservation stronghold from a large protected landscape on the island of Sri Lanka” with Dinal Samarasinghe and several other scientists. In this article, we concluded that the Wilpattu National Park system should be considered a critical stronghold that maintains a source population of leopards, which contributes to the long-term population viability of leopards in the larger landscape.

Given all your work with big cats, what has been the most rewarding for you?

It has to be the time I spend with them. I’ve had the privilege of making a few films for National Geographic and there’s nothing quite as satisfying as being behind a camera – whether a still camera or video camera – and documenting much of their behaviour. Whether it’s their climbing on trees or walking on a beach, I think it’s filming their behavioural aspects that is the most rewarding part of my work.

In an ideal world, where would you like big cats to be?

The good news is that they still continue to live across large parts of the world. In an African context, almost every African country still has leopards – at least in Sub-Saharan Africa. Ideally, if I look at 30 to 50 years, I’d still want those populations to continue to persist.

(Savithri Rodrigo is the host, director, and co-producer of the weekly digital programme ‘Kaleidoscope with Savithri Rodrigo,’ which can be viewed on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. She has over three decades of experience in print, electronic, and social media.)