Ecology and population status and the impact of trophy hunting of the leopard Panthera pardus (LINNAEUS, 1758) in the Luambe National Park and surrounding Game Management Areas in Zambia

...................................................................................................................................... I Zusammenfassung ..................................................................................................................... III Acknowledgement...................................................................................................................... V Table of figures ........................................................................................................................ VIII List of tables .............................................................................................................................. XI List of Abbreviations ................................................................................................................. XII 1 General Introduction .................................................................................................. 1 1.1 The conservation status of leopards in Zambia and concern of this study .................... 1 1.2 The primary objectives of this study ............................................................................... 3 1.3 The Leopard background .............................................................................................. 5 1.3.1 Description and taxonomy .................................................................................... 5 1.3.2 Distribution ........................................................................................................... 7 1.3.3 Life history ............................................................................................................. 9 1.3.4 Reproduction....................................................................................................... 10 1.3.5 Trophy hunting .................................................................................................... 10 1.4. The study area ............................................................................................................... 11 1.4.1 Zambia and its Geography .................................................................................. 11 1.4.2 The Luangwa Valley............................................................................................. 13 1.4.3 The Game Management Areas ........................................................................... 15 1.4.4 The Luambe National Park and the bordering GMA-Chanjuzi ........................... 16 1.4.5 Fauna ................................................................................................................... 19 1.4.7 Vegetation ........................................................................................................... 20 2 Population estimate of the leopard (Panthera pardus) in Luambe National Park and a bordering Game Management Area in the Luangwa Valley of Zambia ....................... 21 2.