The Majestic Sri Lankan Leopard

Mahoora Tented Safari Camp - Yala National Park 

Fun facts
Leopards are carnivorous and feed on a myriad of animals, ranging from sambur to hare, to langurs to rats. Locally known as the ‘Sri Lankan Leopard’ due to them being endemic to Sri Lanka, these leopards are known as Panthera pardus kotiya, with kotiya meaning ‘leopard/ tiger’ in local dialect. Scat analysis carried out on these leopards have found remains of crabs, frogs and other small vertebrates and invertebrates in their system. 

Lesser known facts
The leopard is a very adaptable animal, who is able to adapt and occupy various spaces and places. There is even a record of a family of leopards occupying a football stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa which was only discovered when the population of domestic cats and dogs took a rapid decline! 

Leopards are nocturnal animals, but can also be encountered within the day, especially in the early morning hours and late evenings. They usually forage by themselves, except during the mating season or when the mother and cubs encounter themselves. 

The Sri Lankan Leopard, is undoubtedly the star attraction for both local and international wildlife enthusiasts. Panthera pardus kotiya, is a subspecies of leopards who are native to Sri Lanka and is unfortunately classified as an endangered species by the International union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with the reason for this decline being the rise of trade hunting, fragmentation and the loss of habitat.

Whereabouts
The best known location to find the Sri Lankan leopard is in their natural habitat; which is of course the Yala National Park and Wilpattu National Park. Whilst the leopards can usually be found in all varieties of habitats across the country, in the common day they are found re the forest conservation is predominant. 

Known to be nocturnal in their natural habitat, they can also be seen in the early morning hours or late evenings as mentioned prior, usually in the solitary, gliding through the bush areas. However, during the mating season, they are known to hunt in pairs and the mothers can be seen wandering with their cubs in tow.