Unspotted: One Man's Obsessive Search for Africa's Most Elusive Leopard

by Justin Fox

People have driven Cape Leopards to the brink of extinction. Can we bring them back? The majestic Cederberg mountains in the Western Cape region of South Africa are home to the elusive Cape Mountain Leopard. But for how long? The population has been decimated over centuries by human enemies and the survival of these glorious and mysterious cats is in jeopardy. Thanks to zoologist Quinton Martins and his Cape Leopard Trust, there may just be hope that the species will survive and continue to reign over its rocky habitat.

78 pages, Paperback

First published August 27, 2013

About the author

Fox is a novelist, travel writer and photographer based in Cape Town, South Africa, and is the former editor of Getaway travel magazine. He was a Rhodes Scholar and received a doctorate in English literature from Oxford University after which he was a research fellow at the University of Cape Town, where he taught part time for 20 years. His articles and photographs have appeared internationally in a number of publications and on a wide range of topics, while his short stories and poems have appeared in numerous anthologies. He has written scripts and directed award-winning documentaries and is a two-time Mondi journalism award winner (1999 and 2004). Recent books include The Marginal Safari (Umuzi), The Impossible Five (Tafelberg), Beat Routes (Karavan), Place (Umuzi) and, most recently, a World War II series of novels, starting with The Cape Raider (Penguin and Sapere) and The Wolf Hunt (Sapere). Justin was longlisted for the 2011 Alan Paton Award for non-fiction, the 2012 Olive Schreiner Prize for Literature, and his debut novel, Whoever Fears the Sea (Umuzi 2014), was longlisted for the Etisalat Prize for African literature.

Reviews

[Elle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

If I am to be perfectly honest this isn't the sort of story that I would usually pick up. Not because it is non-fiction, but because wildlife preservation isn't something that I am all that into.

However, I thought that it sounded interesting and decided that I would give it a chance. I am glad I did.

I really enjoyed the author's writing style; a few times I even laughed to myself. His descriptions kept you reading to see what his next amusing comment would be.

And example of this: "... like a cross between a leopard and a daisy.'

Or perhaps this one, "The vehicle bounced over boulders like an inebriated frog."

This read like a novel, flowing together well and doing a wonderful job of keeping one's attention. It was very informative about the Cape Mountain Leopard as well as the ecology of the place. What I particularly liked, however, was not just the entire story of the author's search for the Cape Mountain Leopard, but I was actually very interested in learning about life on the conservation as well as how the leopard traps and tracking devices worked. I like learning new things, and I certainly learned a lot from reading this.

Perhaps I should now inform my friends about how one goes about trapping a leopard....

This 40 page story was very interesting, especially for one (me) who knew virtually nothing about wildlife preservation before taking it up. The writing and descriptions were fabulous; along with the story they kept you reading. I would definitely recommend this to anyone, particularly if you are interested in the preservation of wildlife or even if you are just interested in learning new things.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

At a mere 40 pages, Unspotted gives us a brief, vivid glimpse into what it’s like to work in leopard conservation in South Africa. Quentin Martins, a man who is so mad about leopards that he seems to be part leopard himself, lives deep in the Cedarberg mountains, where he monitors the dwindling and endangered population of incredibly rare Cape Mountain Leopards. These leopards are so rare that it was thought they were extinct, and for years few people could claim to have seen them. As the foremost expert on the leopards, having devoted years of his life to studying them, Martins is the perfect guide for the author, who sets out to try to spot one.

Quentin was down on his hands and knees, head to one side, staring skeptically at the trap. He raised his front paw a little, hesitating, then adjusted a twig. He looked decidedly feline. If you narrowed your eyes, you could almost see his spots.

While nonfictional and very informative about the ecology, politics and history of Cape Mountain Leopard conservation, Fox’s book reads like a novel. His descriptions are vivid and he gives a multi-sensory picture of the exotic location, as well as the slightly odd folk who inhabit it. Fox’s tone is didactic but there are some wonderful touches of humour and wonder as well. Quentin’s character is strikingly described, and the excitement of searching for the leopards sends a chill through the narrative, propelling it towards its end. Furthermore, the book has color pictures of the leopards, and maps throughout, making it a pleasure to dip into on a tablet or computer (although they didn’t translate very well to plain old e-ink kindle).

The wind was sniping and low clouds poured in from the west over Middelberg. I opened a bottle of workmanlike Shiraz and sat beside the fire, staring at the living darkness. There was no moon and the stars hissed quietly in the icy firmament. The stream grumbled loudly, wind whooshed in the bare branches, the black mountains pressed closer. Somewhere, close by, was my leopard.

A quick and thrilling read, enjoyed from cover to cover in a single sitting, Unspotted gives us a taste of adventure while also leaving a poignant reminder that as the top predator in the food chain, we have a responsibility towards the others who share our environment.

Read more of my reviews at Literogo.com

[San Diego Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Kelsey Kaline

Unspotted is a short novella by Justin Fox that follows his travels through South Africa in a valiant attempt to spot the elusive Cape Mountain Leopard.

To be honest I had never even heard of the Cape Mountain Leopard, a breed native to South Africa that is close to extinction before reading this short work of nonfiction. What I can do however, is relate and be drawn into a book with good storytelling. In this instance, that story was focused on Fox’s attempt to see one of the elusive leopards. Fox and Quinton Martins, a zoologist whose life and organization is dedicated to helping the breed survive share the spotlight of the book- other than the Leopard’s of course.
You can read this entire review and others like it at San Diego Book Review.

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't claim an affinity for the Cape Mountain Leopard, a breed native to South Africa that is close to extinction. In fact, I don't think I'd heard of it before reading this short work of non-fiction. However, I can relate to a good story, in this instance the author's attempt to actually see one of the elusive leopards with the help of Quinton Martins, a zoologist whose life and organization is dedicated to helping the breed survive. (I can also easily understand Fox and Martins' concerns by relating it to to disappearing breeds closer to home.) Although a quick read, Fox manages to pack tastes of adventure along with enough background to understand the leopard's plight while inspiring this reader to consider man's relationship with the natural world.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **

[Ionia · Rating 5 out of 5]

For being a non-fiction book and about a subject that I know little about (wildlife conservation) this was a very entertaining and interesting read. The author uses clear and concise speech to address his audience and yet it doesn't feel overly formal or scientific.

The way he feels about these majestic animals is clear from the very beginning and his excitement over sightings and the knowledge he gains during his exploration bring life to the book, getting the reader excited as well. If you are curious about what it takes to learn about and make a difference to an entire species, this book will offer that insight.

Overall, I thought this was very well written and would recommend it to others, even those who don't tend to read non-fiction.

This review is based on a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Ginger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short (40 pages) but incredibly engaging story of the elusive Cape Leopard (which I'd never even heard of prior to reading this), and the man obsessed with them. Non-fiction, but as engaging and page turning as fiction, Fox takes readers along on the hunt for a spotting of this elusive animal, while providing backstory and information about the conservation, research, and education efforts that surround them.
The writing is really what makes this--it could easily have been a boring academic paper, but it truly feels a bit like a mystery, or chase thriller in the way it's written. At 40 pages, it's a quick read, and an enjoyable one at that.

(Disclosure: I have done work with this publisher, but my review is unpaid, unprompted & entirely my own thoughts).

[M.R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I own the company that published this edition. But I bought the book to publish because I loved it!

This is a short ebook (~40 pages). It is three stories in one: the story of the elusive and endangered Cape Mountain Leopard, the story of the scientist who is trying to save them, and the story of the author, who goes to try to see one.

I started publishing short ebooks because I love the chance to learn something new and interesting in a short period of time, and this book delivers on that. It also made me want to go to South Africa and spend a vacation in the Cederberg Mountains, perhaps volunteering to monitor a radio receiver for the Cape Mountain Trust.

[Brenda Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read. I won this book through Goodreads.