From Idea to Innovation → Watch The Mobi-kraal Story
The Mobi-kraal Project
hosted by The Cape Leopard Trust
Testing Innovative Solutions to Improve Human-Leopard Coexistence in Agricultural Landscapes
Open-access Mobi-kraal design blueprint and resources available to promote coexistence between people and predators
Free-roaming large predators like leopards require expansive areas of suitable habitat to thrive, but a large proportion of remaining available habitat is adjacent to agriculture. Predators may opportunistically hunt livestock, causing significant economic damage, and if farmers do not have access to effective and non-lethal methods to prevent predation, some may resort to killing predators as a way of protecting their livestock.
Securing livestock in a fortified kraal (a corral or protective enclosure) overnight is one of the best methods to reduce predation, but for many farmers a permanent kraal is not a viable option. After years of engaging with communities affected by leopard conflict, the Cape Leopard Trust recognised the need for a mobile predator-proof kraal that is capable of functioning effectively across diverse landscapes.
In 2024, the Conservation Kraal Challenge called for designs for a “Mobi-kraal” – a mobile, predator-proof kraal. The winning design was further developed in collaboration with Panthera’s Conservation Technology team and subjected to testing. Four livestock farms across South Africa with differing habitats and predator guilds were selected to trial 32m2 Mobi-kraal prototypes for approximately a year. A fifth kraal was retained for short-term loan from the Cape Leopard Trust in Western Cape locations following livestock losses as an ‘Immediate Response Kraal’.
The Mobi-kraal, which aims to meet the operational needs of smaller commercial and subsistence farmers, completely eliminated nighttime predation losses during active use.
Once farmers became confident with the assembly process, the kraal could be easily deconstructed, moved, and reassembled on level ground by at least three people in approximately one hour.
The Mobi-kraal project demonstrated that a mobile kraal reduces predation risk.
The Mobi-kraal design represents a useful open-access foundational tool for livestock farmers and conservation organisations, which has potential to be adapted to local conditions and developed further.
The complete Mobi-kraal blueprint, build guide and other resources are available on this website
The Mobi-kraal, which aims to meet the operational needs of smaller commercial and subsistence farmers, completely eliminated nighttime predation losses during active use.
Once farmers became confident with the assembly process, the kraal could be easily deconstructed, moved, and reassembled on level ground by at least three people in approximately one hour.
The Mobi-kraal project demonstrated that a mobile kraal reduces predation risk.
The Mobi-kraal design represents a useful open-access foundational tool for livestock farmers and conservation organisations, which has potential to be adapted to local conditions and developed further.
The complete Mobi-kraal blueprint, build guide and other resources are available on this website
Testimonials from farmers who have trialled the Mobi-kraal
“If your sheep are in the Mobi-kraal, then you have peace of mind; you know nothing can get to them inside.”
“The kraal allowed us to put the lambs and ewes on to fresh ground each day and then back to the nursery at night. Prior to that, we were losing a sheep every month to leopard.”
“The kraal was easy to use and to let the sheep in and out. We gave them some supplements inside the kraal, so they already knew to go into the kraal at night and waited to be let out in the mornings.”
I think it is designed well. The first time putting it up, you struggle a bit because there were things that we had to prepare on the ground, the surface where you put it up needs to be level and which sections to put up first, but the second time we put it up was a lot easier. Right preparation, easy kraal set up.”
Mobi-Kraal is made possible by
