This study explored how web-sourced images can help monitor sustainable trophy hunting of African leopards. Out of 10,000 images reviewed, 808 showed leopard hunts, with 530 providing usable data from six African countries (2011–2020). Most leopards were in good condition, with no major differences in age, sex, or shot placement between countries. Hunters were predominantly older White males, though younger age groups showed a higher proportion of women. While South Africa showed high online documentation (57% of hunts), web data couldn’t be fully matched with CITES records. However, the images revealed rule violations, such as illegal hunting of females. As social media use rises, online imagery offers a promising, cost-effective tool for transparency and oversight in trophy hunting.
