Project Title: Ingwe Leopard Sighting Data Collection App
Responsible Party: Ingwe Research Program NPC (IRP)
Contact Information: marine@ingweresearchprogram.org
Thank you for downloading this app to support the Ingwe Research Program.
Thank you for supporting the Ingwe Research Program (IRP). This app allows you to submit leopard sightings to help us identify individuals, understand their movements, and improve conservation strategies.
Participation is voluntary and only for people aged 18 or above. Please read the information below before giving consent.
Through the app, we collect only the information needed for this research:
- Name and surname ;
- Email address.
- Reserve you are associated with ;
- Your role (e.g., ranger, guide, lodge owner/manager, warden, researcher, resident, tourist).
- Photo(s) or video(s) ;
- GPS coordinates ;
- Date and time of sighting ;
- Observation type (direct sighting or camera trap data) ;
- Behavioral notes (optional).
Your information will be used solely for:
- Leopard identification and ecological research
- Mapping movements and population trends
- Improving coexistence and conservation management
- Reporting to conservation bodies when relevant
- Uploading leopard identification data to African Carnivore Wildbook and/or ArgusWild.AI, the platforms used for individual leopard identification and movement analysis.
Your personal details will never appear publicly, unless you consent to it.
The Responsible Party for your data is: Ingwe Research Program NPC (IRP).
Only authorised individuals may access your personal information:
- Marine Servonnat, Managing Director
- Liam Hoffman, contracted app developer
- IRP authorised researchers, if required
All are bound by confidentiality and data-protection obligations.
No unauthorised person will access your personal data.
Your data is stored securely in IRP’s Microsoft Azure SQL Database.
Security measures include:
- Encryption at rest and in transit ;
- Restricted, password-protected access ;
- POPIA-compliant cloud infrastructure.
Personal data will be kept for 10 years after your last involvement in the project and then deleted or anonymised, unless a legal or conservation requirement mandates longer retention. Sighting data is kept in anonymised form for long-term ecological research.
Participation is entirely voluntary. You may withdraw at any time without providing a reason and without any penalty.
If you withdraw:
- Your personal information will be deleted.
- Previously collected research data (e.g., sightings or ecological data) will be anonymised, using unique user ID codes, and retained only if necessary for scientific integrity, in accordance with POPIA’s Research Exemption.
Risks: We do not anticipate any significant risks to you.
Benefits: Your sightings help IRP track leopards, improve conservation outcomes, and support scientific research. It will also enable you to receive feedback regarding the identity and history of the leopard you observed as soon as this information is available.
Your identity will remain confidential unless you explicitly choose to be credited.
Sighting data (not personal data) may be:
- Shared with research or conservation partners, interns or volunteers ;
- Used in academic publications in anonymised form ;
- Uploaded to scientific platforms such as African Carnivore Wildbook and/or ArgusWild.AI.
Personal data will never be shared with students or external researchers unless:
- You give explicit written consent, or ;
- POPIA permits it under strict conditions.
If you submit photos or videos, you retain ownership. You will be credited as:
© [Surname, First Name]. [Description, date, location if safe & relevant].
You have the right to:
- Access your personal information ;
- Request correction or deletion ;
- Withdraw consent ;
- Object to processing ;
- Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.
Information Regulator (South Africa)
Email: complaints.IR@justice.gov.za
For any questions or consent-related matters, please contact:
Marine Servonnat: marine@ingweresearchprogram.org
By clicking on the button “I Agree”, you confirm that:
- You have read and understood the information above ;
- You are 18 years old or older ;
- You voluntarily consent to the collection and processing of your personal information ;
- You consent to the use of your photographs/videos for ecological research ;
- You understand that data may be anonymised and used for scientific research;
- You understand you may withdraw at any time