Sri Lanka's top 5 places to see Leopards

Sri Lanka undoubtedly is the land of the leopard. This is one of the few places in the world where the leopard can claim the moniker of the apex predator of the wilderness. In other continents and countries such as India or Africa, the leopard needs to compete with larger and more formidable predators such as lions, tigers, and even Hyenas in the case of Africa.

In Sri Lanka, there is no such predator to compete with the leopard. The occasional scuffle with a wild boar and a sloth bear has been known to occur, but overall the leopards are free to hunt and feed unabated.

This level of freedom has further enabled some of the best daytime sightings of these magnificent predators on the island. Being the top predator in its habitat the leopards are more confident and can be seen out in the open, completely relaxed.

The Sri Lanka Leopard is a unique subspecies that is native to this island. They are also the largest subspecies along with the Iranian Leopard. For a trained eye, one can easily spot the difference between for example an African Leopard and a Sri Lankan Leopard. The facial structure and coloration are the key differentiators.

Hence for anyone who is keen on covering as many species and subspecies as possible, it is important to visit Sri Lanka and try and photograph and see the Sri Lankan Leopard.

That being the case, the question would arise which is the best place to see leopards in Sri Lanka?

This is a worthy question as Leopards are found in many parts of the island, but they are not seen as well in all places, especially in areas where they are not habituated.

This too is important as habituation to humans and vehicles is key in having great leopard sightings.

From decades of observation and hours spent in the field here are my top 5 places to see leopards in Sri Lanka

 

#1 – Yala National Park (Block 1)

Undoubtedly the top spot has to go to Yala National Park, the crown jewel of safari parks in the country. This is truly the land of the leopard, with some of the highest if not the highest densities of these amazing predators in the world. The sightings of a beautiful cat walking across the open plains or atop a rocky outcrop is a signature sight in Yala National Park. There are many famous leopards that have become household names in Yala. In the past big males such as the “Chaitya Male” (known to have been big and strong enough to bring down an adult buffalo) and Hamu was iconic. At present, a very detailed study on the leopards of the park are being carried out whereby over 130 individual leopards have been identified. Even now, new individuals keen getting identified, which showcases the vast density of these predators in such as small area which is only 142 Square Kilometers. Some of the notable characters during the present era to emerge from Yala are – Lucas, Julius, Harak Hora, and Aster to name a few. A very informative “Leopard Center” is present in the park where visitors can learn more about these predators and also compare one’s own sightings with the virtual database and try and identify the leopards they have spotted while on safari.

 

#2- Wilpattu National Park

The land of lakes, Wilpattu is located on the North-Western end of the island. This is Sri Lanka’s largest national park and is quite a contrast to the landscape of Yala. Where Yala is mostly dry scrub forest, open lagoons, and plains, as well as many rocky outcrops, Wilpattu is denser with dark forests being the dominant landscape, along with few open spaces which are usually consisting of natural lakes known as Villus. The dense dark forests make it quite difficult to see these predators, but when they do come onto the roads it is a sight to behold. The open sand-brimmed lakes are some of the most beautiful settings to view these magnificent predators. The park was closed for many years during the time of the civil war and was finally opened to the public in 2010. During this time, the leopards were very shy and sightings were almost nonexistent. But over time, after a few years of continuous visitation, the leopards gradually became habituated enough to give some great sightings. Through the years, Wilpattu has become increasingly popular, especially with wildlife purists who seek more private and quieter moments compared to Yala which can tend to be congested and crowded. The chances of seeking leopards in Wilpattu is somewhat harder than Yala, but usually, the reward of the sighting is far greater most of the time due to the lower numbers in the park and the ability to spread out across the landscape given the size of the park. One of the most photographed leopards from back in the day was the infamous “Prince” a.k.a “Natta” who was a young male leopard who was born in the Kompanchi Sampuwal/Pomparippu area and later moved around to many parts of the park. He was at one time the most photographed leopard in Sri Lanka, giving shows like no other, often sleeping in the middle of the road paying no need to the on-looking people and vehicles. He was named Natta due to the fact that the end of his tail fell off due to an injury probably with a wild boar or another leopard. He is still alive but has been driven out to the fringes of the park by larger and more dominant males. One of the most famous and well-loved males of the park is the Nelum Wila Male, a massive individual who has a large home range and is seen quite often walking without fear of people. He is the current star of the park and one who literally poses for the photograph. When it comes to the female’s one of the most beloved leopards has to be “Cleopatra” the beautiful female who was known as a playful cub from Borupanwila. Now a successful mother with her own brood of cubs is seen by lucky visitors mostly in the Mahapatessa area with her cubs.

 

#3 Kumana National Park

 

Kumana, the land of mystery and awe is located on the far eastern corner of the island. In fact, it is connected to Yala and is part of the same ecosystem. But due to the access and location, it is quite a long drive to reach compared to Yala. Kumana was initially famous as a bird sanctuary with many species of birds nesting in the waters of Kumana Villu. But in the last decade or so, there has been an increasing number of leopard sightings in the park. The legends say the leopards of Kumana are known “man-eaters” and the leopards of Lenama (an area in the park) are mythically known to be larger and deadlier. But the reality is that these too are the same leopards that you see in Yala. But there have been cases of man-eaters in the park which are more than in many other parts of the island. In 2019 a construction worker was taken and eaten by a large male, who subsequently attacked and severely injured another individual who went to retrieve the body of the victim. Thereafter in 2020, another leopard attacked a farmer in the nearby area of Panama while sleeping in his watch hut. The man succumbed to his injuries. The same leopard thereafter attacked a few men on patrol at night in the fringes of their farms. The authorities managed to capture the culprit who was released deep inside the park which caused much controversy.

Despite these individual cases, the number of sightings of leopards is increasing as the animals become more habituated. The advantage of seeing leopards in Kumana is the privacy and lack of large crowds. Given the remoteness and difficulty to get to the park has resulted in making this one of Sri Lanka’s best-kept secrets.

#4 Veheragala (Yala Block 5)

 

Veheragala National Park also known as Yala Block 5 became popular in the last 6 years as an alternative to Yala Block 5. The small land extends borders the giant Veheragala reservoir and is less visited than its more famous counterpart. This park is also known for its fair number of leopards, often seen on the main road which runs through the park. The high density of prey animals such as Spotted Deer and Grey Langur may have resulted in the number of leopards seen, and gradual habituation has helped greatly in giving quality sightings. This is a great park to combine with when visiting Block 1 in order to get away from crowds and to get a change in landscape.

 

#5 Horton Plains National Park

 

The misty highlands of Sri Lanka is hardly a place one would imagine encountering a leopard but despite this, historically the highlands was where most of the islands forest cover was and where most of the wildlife animals roamed. With the onset of the British taking over the country, they cleared these vast forests, to grow Coffee and subsequently Tea.

One of the last remaining highland wilderness refuges is Horton Plains, National Park. Located over 2500 meters above sea level this montane wilderness is set atop a high plateau and is one of Mother Nature’s spectacular wonders.

Once even used by the government at the time to grow potatoes, it was later declared a National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This land is one of the most sensitive and ecologically important locations in the country with a vast number of plant and animal life endemic and found nowhere else in the world.

The park was very popular for its scenic landscapes and walking trails. Subsequently was highly valued as a top birding destination to see some of the rare highland endemic species.

In the last few years, through countless visits and patience, this too has produced some unforgettable leopard encounters.

The kings of this domain, these predators are found in the deep dense cloud forests and on the fringes of the open plains which are the main landscapes of this habitat.

Feeding primarily on Sambhur the largest species of deer in Sri Lanka these cats seem to have a few physiological differences to their lowland cousins. The Horton Plains Leopards seem to be much larger in physical size and their faces wider with shorter muzzle areas giving them a stouter and wider look.

A study carried out by a a scientific team consisting of Dr Enoka Kudavidanage in 2020 has identified 23 adult leopards found in the park.

Seeing these majestic predators is much harder than in the lowlands but with a trained eye and patience you might have a chance in getting a glimpse of these highland beauties.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last stand of the Tuskers of Sri Lanka

 What is a tusker and why are they so special in Sri Lanka? This is a question many people asked me over the years. The truth is that no only the fact that only 7% of the male elephants in Sri Lanka carries tusks, which makes them so rare and special, but the aura and behavior of a tusker are so much more special. They are the true monarchs of the wilds of Lanka. When a tusker comes out into the open and joins a grazing herd of elephants, you feel his presence. They are the “rockstars” of elephant society. The most desirable male for receptive females to mate with, the most intimidating rival for other male elephants.

The tale of tuskers of Sri Lanka can date back several thousand years. The mainland of Asia once connected to our island via a land bridge has its own sub-species of elephants. Historically scientific evidence states that 97% of males are supposed to carry ivory. Hence it was the norm in the Asian Elephant (Elephas Maximus) males to have tusks. Then the question arises what happened to Sri Lanka? Why is there less than 7% of the male population having this genetic trait? There are several theories being debated among scientists and pundits alike.

The most logical explanation for this is that through thousands of years, starting from our kings of old, the best tuskers the prime bulls of any herd were targeted for domestication, and even to import. Ancient texts state that Sri Lanka “exported” elephants to other countries, due to the fact that Sri Lankan elephants were prized for their size and strength. Thereafter the three colonizers, the Portuguese, Dutch, and finally the English managed to systematically target and decimate the existing population. The first targets of any hunt were the tuskers, the prime breeding bulls of elephant society.

Within a few hundred years, we are left with a dwindling populace of these once mighty specimens. Estimates can round up the current population of wild tuskers at around 120-180 animals at most. That being said this number is being reduced every year.

Though poaching is an imminent threat and many tuskers did fall to the guns of the poacher, the primary culprit for the decimation of tuskers and elephants, in general, is habitat loss and the human-elephant conflict that results from this.

There is an estimated 6000 plus elephants on the island as per the last census carried out in 2011. Sri Lanka also is shamed to have the largest number of elephant deaths for 2020, with a staggering 318, and a shocking 407 in 2019. This would easily outnumber the number of new elephant births, and also the death toll needs to add the numbers which are not recorded, and hence we have a scenario where the overall populace is facing a gradual reduction. The lack of viable habitats for these giants and the current lack of a credible wildlife management policy will result in mass starvations and a sudden plummet in numbers in the coming years.

There are plans and talks underway to “conveniently” drive all the elephants outside national parks to the said parks, be it Wilpattu or Udawalawe or sanctuaries like Kahallapallekele and lock the elephants up so they can escape. This naïve and impractical move has been discussed by many of those in power for countless regimes without a proper understanding of the elephant's actual requirements and needs.

1-      Each land area has an ideal carrying capacity for elephants. The common misconception most laymen (who are virtually most of the policymakers and whose in power) is that there are many trees in the forest hence why can't they eat the trees. The reality is that elephants require a vast range of disturbed forest and grazing land. This is the only way it can sustain a 3-5 Ton animal. Elephants eat up to 150 KG of vegetation daily, and densely forested areas cannot provide enough nutrients, especially for a sudden surge of more elephants pushed there with an elephant drive. The classic case of such a disaster was in Lunugamvehera in 2006. The Department of Wildlife Conservation drove around 260 elephants into the Lunugamvehera National Park. The tragic result is that most of them, mainly the females and calves died of starvation. Thus we are about to face such a disastrous move very soon as per the current directive it seems the policymakers are about to drive a mass extinction of elephant using the “Elephant Drive” ploy.

2-      Vital migration paths such as the Dahaiyagala Sanctuary have been cleared and given to people for agriculture. The current state of the elephants in Udawalawe , which is a vital Tourism attraction is that they are unable or hindered to move out of the park to their traditional regions such as Bogahapattiya due to this. Further adding to their suffering the growth of an invasive plant known as Lantana or Gandhapana in Sinhalese (which the elephant doesn’t eat) have resulted in emaciated and malnourished elephants in the park. With quite a few deaths of newborn calves. Udawalawe generates much-needed revenue and employment to many people in the region and yet there seems to be no interest by the powers that be to look into this situation.

3-      One of the regions with the highest density of tuskers in Sri Lanka is the Galgamuwa region. Despite being home to over 350 elephants, there are no large national parks or sanctuaries nearby. For many years the elephants survived by moving from small forest patch to forest patch , and continuously being harassed and in conflict with local villagers and their cultivations. Many notable tuskers emerged from this region, out of which two exceptional individuals the SIyambalangamuwa Tusker also known as Parakrama died due to a failed attempt to translocate him and the other is the Dala Puttuwa or Crossed Tusker who fell to the poacher's bullet. Both their lives ended tragically, and many surviving tuskers carry the scars of their turbulent lives in festering gunshot wounds all across their body.

The latest debacle faced by the elephants of Galgamuwa is the clearing of forest land in Nakolagane bordering the Palukadawala Reservoir. This is the last refuge remaining for these 350 plus elephants in this entire region. Mostly spending several months in the forest and coming to the lakeshore to graze and drink water. The Chief priest of Nakolagane Rajamaha Viharaya is carrying out a project destroying the forest using bulldozers and using this forest land to grow traditional rice varieties.

This disastrous move will not only deny the elephants a place of refuge but will also increase the conflicts will the villagers as the elephants will invariably move into human cultivations and homes as their habitat is destroyed.

It is shameful that despite the teachings of Buddhism preaches kindness and care to all life forms that those who claim to be representatives of the faith are destroying the very fundamentals of the said philosophy.

If the citizens of Sri Lanka from villagers to urban folk don’t band together and demand a workable solution to this eternal conflict and destruction of forest habitat, this massive Ecocide will have ripple effects that will affect this island nation for generations to come.