IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Mallon, D.; Al Jumaily, M.; Budd, K.; Edmonds, J.-A.; Fattebert, J.; Nasher, A.K. | |
| Leopard traps in Arabia | |
| 2008 Wildlife Middle East (3): 7-7 | |
Many of the Arabian leopards in the current captive population originate from Wada'a, in the western highlands of Yemen, where they were captured in traditional stone traps called margaba. Margaba consist of an elongated chamber constructed of rocks and large stones, with an entrance at one end. Bait is placed at the other end, tied to a rope attached to a flat stone above the entrance. When a leopard pulls the bait, the stone falls and closes the trap. It seems that these traps have been used since ancient times to catch and kill leopards and other predators of domestic livestock. A smaller version in Sinai was reportedly designed to catch wolf and caracal and at least one striped hyena has been trapped in Wada'a. Wada'a is the only place where any detailed information is available and the only one where villagers specialised in live-trapping leopards for display. In December 2007, two Wada'a leopard trappers said they had caught ten and four leopards respectively. The Government of Yemen has banned the live capture of leopards. Staff at Ta'izz Zoo reported in December 2007 that they received the last animal from Wada'a in 1999 and that they no longer bought wild-caught individuals, while the community in Wada'a have ceased trapping and expressed a strong desire to conserve the remaining leopards in the area. |
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