Bridgestone's support takes the form of sponsorship of the Cape Leopard Trust's fleet of five 4x4 vehicles' tyres and this has now been extended to include the trust's two new vehicles, a 21-seater Mercedes-Benz Sprinter bus and a Toyota Hilux Double Cab. The bus was acquired thanks to the support of the Cape Leopard Trust by the National Lottery Distribution Fund, which has provided a grant of R1,3 million over three years to assist the CLT in developing and ensuring the future of its Environmental Education Programme. The new pickup is sponsored by Avis Car Hire.
In addition to its world-renowned conservation programme, centred on the unique Cape mountain leopard, which includes the use of infra-red cameras and GPS radio-collars to monitor leopard movements, the trust is also dedicated to educating and encouraging the youth to have a vested interest in the environment.
The primary aim of the Cape Leopard Trust's Environmental Education Programme is to bring children and adults into contact with nature and, through personal experience, create a real interest in the natural environment and its conservation. "Our support of the Cape Leopard Trust is an integral component of our corporate social investment umbrella and Bridgestone's global One Team, One Planet initiative," explained Bridgestone public relations manager Mandy Lovell.
"They are doing important conservation work, while at the same time providing valuable learning opportunities, in particular to children, about the endangered Cape mountain leopard. Our support is in line with our commitment to conservation and the environment as embodied in our 4x4 Fundi programme," said Lovell.
The area of the leopard surveys, covering 10 000 square kilometres (or one million hectares), is one of the largest in the world and the Trust's 4x4s cover great distances over very rough terrain often accessible only by rocky tracks. "We are very grateful to Bridgestone for their support, which comes from a company with a shared interest in educating young people about nature and the environment and encouraging them to care about what happens to it," said Quinton Martins, project manager of the Cape Leopard Trust.
The Cape Leopard Trust was formed in 2004 to facilitate the conservation of predators through the combination of conservation strategies, research projects, education and tourism initiatives. The Trust operates in wilderness areas in the Cederberg, Swartberg/Gamka corridor, Boland Mountains and Namaqualand areas.
