Fake fur is bringing Zambia's leopards back

Leopard populations are recovering in western Zambia after local communities began swapping real pelts for synthetic ones in traditional ceremonies, according to research published in the journal Conservation Biology. Leopards are revered by cultural groups who use their skins as ceremonial regalia. During an annual event marking the flood season, 200 paddlers ferry the Litunga, king of the Lozi people, on a barge while wearing skirts made largely from the striking hides. Demand for those outfits is believed to have driven poaching. The wild cat organisation Panthera consulted communities, sourced quality synthetic alternatives called Heritage Furs, and won a royal decree that only these be worn in official ceremonies. Today just 10% of the Litunga's paddlers still prefer the real thing. The study estimates the shift could save between 204 and 1,310 leopards in the region over a decade. Panthera has now supplied more than 22,000 Heritage Furs across southern Africa.