 Leopard hiding behind brush |
At about 5pm, just an hour before sunset, we were rewarded with a sighting of a Sri LankanLeopard Pantera pardus kotika in Yala National Park. With only about 35 leopards here, it was quite thrilling! We first saw him (or her) in the bushes by the side of the road where another 4WD vehicle had stopped. We tried to get a photo, but couldn't. The leopard began walking west through the bush, and then, before the other vehicles moved, our driver backed up and took a side track hoping to intersect the leopard on its path. He was right on! We watched as this beautiful animal hid in the bushes (left), keeping us in view, then ambled across the dirt road to the edge of a pond. Spotting a water buffalo ahead, it put on a burst of speed (photo right), but didn't pursue for long. Instead, it decided to climb a huge tree and drape itself over the branches, four legs and long tail swinging freely. Then, with a bit of hesitation but skill it descended the tree head first and walked sedately back into the brush. Fantastic! We had over a half an hour of leopard watching! Sri Lanka's leopards are endemic to the island and are listed by the World Conservation Union as threatened.
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