The West African leopard is, unfortunately, critically endangered, and only 354 individuals are estimated to remain in all of West Africa. To make matters worse, they live in a dangerous area plagued by armed groups, poachers, and habitat loss. Despite this, it is now reported that the tide finally seems to be turning slightly in the animals' favour.
Mongabay reports that long-term efforts to combat poaching, monitoring, and financial support for local communities have made the leopards valuable assets. All of this combined has now led to an increase in the number of leopards from 0.62 to 2.08 individuals per 100 km² in recent years. While this figure remains low, it indicates the recovery the species needs and demonstrates that long-term efforts involving local authorities are the right path forward.