The leopard umbrella is a compact, functional and fashionable rain umbrella featuring an eye-catching Leopard print. It is easy to fit in your bag and opens into a full-size umbrella for superior protection against the elements. It also comes in a smaller size that is perfect for travelling.
Umbrellas were used in ancient Greece to defend against the sun, and it was customary for maid-servants to bear them over their mistresses (Juvenal, Fasti ix.). A variety of structural improvements were made to the umbrella over time. Samuel Fox invented a steel-ribbed version in the eighteenth century, and the Encyclopedie Methodique mentions metal ribs as early as 1852. By the mid-nineteenth century umbrellas were available commercially, and were carried by women, both as a fashion accessory and as a practical way to protect themselves from rain.
A key challenge to wildlife conservation is building support and engagement with the public, especially in a multi-use landscape. The leopard, with its large home ranges and ability to attract attention, is well placed to act as an umbrella species for ecosystem conservation. The leopard was therefore chosen to help initiate a conversation about the importance of retaining large predators in the landscape, and this was successfully accomplished using camera trapping surveys in private landholdings. The data from the camera trapping campaign was then shared with landowners to show that there are tangible benefits for them and their communities from retaining a diverse wildlife community, including the presence of large carnivores like the sun bear (Helarctos malayanus). The umbrella fleet approach has been implemented in Sumatra through targeted mammal occupancy monitoring programs, with results showing that identifying and documenting umbrella taxa is a more effective method of promoting biodiversity conservation than current priority taxa based on charismatic species.