Sale of animal-linked NFTs raises conservation funds for South African reserve

FILE PHOTO: A handout photo of Tlalamba, a four-year-old leopard and the most sought-after animal in her reserve among buyers of a new scheme selling non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to raise money for conservation, at the Djuma Game Reserve in Hluvukani, in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa, November 4, 2018. Lauren Arthur/Handout via REUTERS

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Tlalamba, a four-year-old leopard, has achieved much in her short life. She's queen of her mother's old territory, borne two cubs and, so far, is the most sought-after animal on her reserve among buyers of a new project selling non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to raise money for conservation.

NFTs are a form of crypto asset which exploded in popularity last year. All kinds of digital objects - from art to videos and even tweets - can be bought and sold as NFTs, which use unique digital signatures to ensure they are one-of-a-kind.