"THE ZANZIBAR LEOPARD" ON ANIMAL PLANET

Helle checking a camera trap in Jozani Forest

The quest for the Zanzibar leopard is the running theme of the premiere of the Animal Planet infotainment series, “Extinct or Alive", which airs in the US on Sunday, 10 June. We participated in the production of this extended episode by providing background material about leopards and other wildlife on the island, as well as the island’s history and culture. Travelling to Zanzibar a week in advance of the film crew, we scouted filming locations, lined up interviews, liaised with local forestry staff, and obtained access to recent photographs of alleged leopard pugmarks and leopard kills (eviscerated goats).

Martin setting a camera trap in Jozani Forest

In addition, we deployed 10 camera traps in various locations, getting excellent video footage of some of Zanzibar’s small carnivores in the wild: the Zanzibar servaline genet (Genetta servalina archeri), the African palm civet (Nandinia binotata), and the Zanzibar bushy-tailed mongoose (Bdeogale crassicauda tenuis). To our knowledge, none of these has been filmed on Unguja island before, so this was exciting.

Other wildlife that we filmed with the camera traps included Zanzibar Sykes monkey (Cercopithicus mitis albogularis), greater galago (Otolemur garnettii garnettii), the Zanzibar subspecies of the Tanzania dwarf coast galago (Galagoides zanzibaricus zanzibaricus), red bush squirrel (Paraxerus palliatus frerei), northern giant pouched rat (Cricetomys gambianus cosensi), Zanzibar four-toed sengi (Petrodromus tetradactylus zanzibaricus) and black and rufous sengi (Rhynchocyon petersi).

Towards the end of our work in Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park, we also engaged in an imaginary leopard chase of the kind that we've described in earlier publications (see the references below). As we might have expected, this came to nought, and we left with nothing to pique the interest of the producers and film crew. They did, however, use footage of an interview with us and many clips of the other animals that we had camera-trapped, including superb daytime (and therefore colour) video shots of a servaline genet. 

In the absence of verified evidence, like most authorities we now presume the Zanzibar leopard to have been extirpated, despite tantalising reports and claims to the contrary. But this shouldn't stop people from enjoying Animal Planet's expertly crafted and highly entertaining narrative.

References

Walsh, Martin & Helle Goldman 2017. Chasing imaginary leopards: science, witchcraft and the politics of conservation in Zanzibar. In Iain Walker (ed.) Contemporary Issues in Swahili Ethnography. Abingdon & New York: Routledge. 99-118. [originally published in 2012 in Journal of Eastern African Studies 6 (4): 727-746. DOI: 10.1080/17531055.2012.729778]

Walsh, Martin & Helle Goldman 2017. Cryptids and credulity: the Zanzibar leopard and other imaginary beings. In Samantha Hurn (ed.) Anthropology and Cryptozoology: Exploring Encounters with Mysterious Creatures. Abingdon & New York: Routledge. 54-90. DOI: 10.4324/9781315567297-11.

THE GHOST LEOPARD OF ZANZIBAR

Following Martin Walsh's participation in The Nightmare (Paradocs Productions, 2008), a documentary about sleep paralysis and its cultural manifestations, Canadian directors Adam and Andrew Gray are pitching a film about The Ghost Leopard of Zanzibar, aka the Zanzibar leopard. Here's the text of their proposed treatment:

THE GHOST LEOPARD OF ZANZIBAR
(60 min HD)

DESCRIPTION

The Ghost Leopard of Zanzibar is a cryptozoological adventure story about one man’s search and attempt to save a species whose fascinating mythology and long association with witchcraft has led to its almost complete eradication.

SYNOPSIS

A documentary crew follow an anthropologist and his team on the expedition of a life time - to search for the allegedly extinct and never-before photographed Zanzibar Leopard. In the 20th century this elusive predator was the victim of a sustained campaign of extermination by islanders who feared its reputation for man-eating and association with witchcraft and sorcery. If the team can obtain photographic proof that the Zanzibar Leopard still lives they may be able to help save it from extinction.

The story of the Zanzibar Leopard is a microcosm for the tragedy of the imminent extinction of big cats around the world. It is a story of shrinking habitats and the clash between man and beast. It is the story of a species that has been demonized and all but doomed to become a legend.

The Zanzibar Leopard evolved on this Indian Ocean island in isolation from the rest of Africa, making it an entirely unique sub-species. The islanders believe that the leopards are secretly kept as pets by local sorcerers and used by them to harass their neighbours. Suspected leopard-keepers are both greatly feared and respected on the island. Village children and livestock have been dragged off and mauled in broad daylight by these otherwise nocturnal felids. Though there have been recent sightings and reports of attacks on livestock and other wildlife, no convincing physical proof of a leopard has been found on the island in more than a decade.

After the bloody Zanzibar Revolution of 1964, a horrific island-wide leopard eradication and witch-finding campaign took place from which the species has never recovered. Though there are no official reports of leopards being killed since 1995, it is widely believed that there are still leopard-keepers working in remote areas of the island.

Martin Walsh is an anthropologist from Cambridge University who has lived and worked in Zanzibar for many years, is a fluent speaker of Swahili and expert in local ethnozoology. He believes that conservationists have been too quick to declare the extinction of the Zanzibar Leopard and is determined to prove that it still exists. Film-makers Adam and Andrew Gray follow Dr. Walsh’s journey from Cambridge into the forests and thickets of Zanzibar - the hunting ground of the leopard and one the world’s most notorious hot-beds of sorcery and witchcraft. To help in this search Walsh enlists the skills of fellow researcher and camera-trap expert Helle Goldman and a team of traditional Zanzibari hunters.

This uniquely equipped team follows a trail of clues through the most remote corners of Zanzibar in an attempt to find and photograph the mysterious and deadly big cat. The Ghost Leopard of Zanzibar is an epic journey into a world of superstition and fear, in search of a creature that is as much supernatural legend as it is real.

© copyright Para Docs Productions Inc. 2009