Bronze Leopard

About Bronze Leopard

The Bronze Leopard is an iconic public monument situated on a rocky pedestal at 1 Chapmans Peak Drive, Hout Bay, Cape Town. Sculpted by the prominent South African artist Ivan Mitford-Barberton, the 295-kilogram statue was cast using raw materials donated by the Pepsi-Cola company before being gifted to the local community. It was permanently installed on its isolated, coastal outcrop on 14 March 1963 to commemorate the native wildlife that once inhabited the Cape Peninsula, following the final recorded sighting of a wild leopard in the Hout Bay area on Little Lion's Head in 1937.

Over more than six decades of standing at the ocean's edge, the sculpture has undergone a natural oxidation process caused by constant exposure to salty sea air and harsh coastal weather, which has transformed its original metallic bronze surface into a highly distinct, weathered blue-green patina. Today, the landmark remains a prominent and permanent historical feature along the scenic Chapman's Peak Drive, visible to passing motorists and tourists overlooking Hout Bay.