Volume 25 - December 2021
Dear Colleague
As part of our efforts to provide an enriched experience to our loyal partners and guests, we are happy to present the humorous and information-packed Volume 25 of the Ceylon Wilderness Digest.
Happy reading!
Eco Team - Sri Lanka
Your Sri Lankan wilderness specialist
A mama buffalo is in a welcoming mood
“Meet my son Bulldozer. I named him that because he’s half-asleep all the time. Haha, get it? He’ll grow up to be a proper bull just like his father Dirty Harry, perhaps you’ve met him? I just hope he doesn’t inherit the same temper. Nothing funny about an angry 6 foot tall 1,200 kg Sri Lankan wild water buffalo lowering its horns and charging at you! Harry does that for fun. I’ve done it too, but only to chase off those nasty leopards. The rest of the time, I just love wallowing and chilling in a muddy waterhole with my girls. You know what? The world would be an awesome place if everyone just learned to chill!”
Fun Facts
"I’m going to miss my baby soon. When they get older, the boys leave the herd and stick together in gangs and roam around. They get all aggressive with other animals and people too. Maybe they get upset because us ladies have longer horns? I know that boys have this thing about length. Haha. But that’s not the worst of it, at some point they get territorial and all friendships are out. They fight with each other, and it gets brutal and bloody! But that’s a long time away and for now, he’s my little baby and I love to fuss over him. Well, thanks for stopping by, it was really nice chatting with you!”
Story of the Photo
Wild buffalos are a common sight in the waterholes close to the Mahoora Tented Safari Camp in Yala and aren’t generally concerned about people… as long as they keep their distance. Dilum got a nice shot of this mum and her calf when he was on an afternoon safari in Yala National Park.
Welcome to the survival guru’s advanced class
“Welcome everyone! I am Rodney, the Changeable Hawk Eagle, and I trust you all followed my Beginner’s Class in July? Good, let’s move to the advanced stuff. Camouflage! It is the key for survival and for hunting prey. Get a dark brown and white feathered body with bold streaks like mine. It’s perfect for staying out of sight. Camp on the branches of leafy trees and unsuspecting prey will just wander under you, ready to become your next meal! Why waste time flapping about, when you can just drop down and grab something, right? Also, eat everything you see. Lizards, mammals, other birds… it doesn’t matter, prey is prey!”
Fun Facts
“Find a good mate, because mating is for life! Your partner is crucial, not just for laying the egg, but also to share in the duties of protecting the nest and your baby. Now, to attract a mate, you must work on your courtship dance. I find that shooting up vertically and then nose diving over and over again gets a lot of attention. Trust me, I had to beat back a host of admirers! Pro tip: try not to crash whilst doing this. Once you mate, focus on building a solid nest and expanding the population of your species! Join me for my next class to get more survival wisdom, ta-ta!”
Story of the Photo
Rodney was in his element, waxing poetic on survival techniques on an early morning! Dilum captured this fantastic shot of the Changeable Hawk Eagle with his beautiful crest in Yala National Park. Although a little hard to spot due to their camouflage, they have been known to frequent the area around the Mahoora Tented Safari Camp in Yala, so do keep your eyes peeled for them when you are there.
Thoughts of a young Sri Lankan leopard
“Eeek! There’s something slithering down there. Is it a snake or a monitor lizard? I wish I would get bigger soon, so that I don’t have to be afraid of anything. Is Mommy still asleep? She told me to stay up here while she naps. She said the spots on my body will keep me camouflaged and safe from any danger. Hope she wakes up soon. I’m hungry and that monitor lizard might be heading for the deer we left half-eaten. I don’t know why we can’t pull that deer up here and eat it. Mommy is strong enough to do that. But she says that we don’t need to, since there are no predators that can threaten us.”
Fun Facts
“I wonder when I will be able to bring down a Sambar. I’m quite good at catching rodents and hare. But it’s so hard to even catch little barking deer. I need to be more patient with my silent stalking. Mommy says that I have to learn to wait and that not every prey I get close to will be the one to pounce on. I don’t know what she means by that. But as soon as she wakes up I am going to practice my stalk and sprint technique till I am the deadliest leopard in Wilpattu!”
Story of the Photo
Dilum got this cute shot of a startled leopard cub during a morning safari run in Wilpattu. If you want to get a head start to your morning safaris, the Mahoora Tented Safari Camp in Wilpattu is the perfect place to base your exploration of this National Park.
A class for little Sri Lankan Grey Hornbills begins
“Now, who can tell me the difference between male and female Hornbills? Yes Tommy? You need to poo? Alright you’re excused. Anyone else? Well, young Hornbills like you, all look the same with cream-coloured bills. But as you grow older, boys will stay the same but the bill on all you girls will turn black and leave just a cream stripe. Isn’t that cool? Now, to get big and strong you must remember to eat your figs, berries and fruits. But don’t forget to add in some insects, rodents and little reptiles too. A varied diet is important to us because… anyone? We’re omnivores, thank you for that Nora.”
Fun Facts
“Isn’t it wonderful to be a bird that’s not on the endangered list? Well, that’s mostly due to how resilient and how careful we Hornbills are. This is why you don’t need to follow Rodney’s classes on survival techniques, just stick to the tried and true Hornbill way of life. When building a nest, girls you must remember to find a tree hole that’s comfortable to stay in with room for 4 eggs and yourself. Boys, you have to seal off that hole with a cement made of mud, fruit pulp and your own droppings… Tommy you should have no problem with that… oh and don’t forget to leave a small hole so that you can pass food to your lovely mate and your babies when they are born. Well that’s it for today, go have fun and we’ll continue tomorrow!”
Story of the Photo
The Sri Lankan Grey Hornbill can often be seen around the Mahoora Tented Safari Camps thanks to the undisturbed environment there. They are easily startled, just like this one was when Dilum captured this image in Udawalawe National Park, so do try to stay quiet as you take a closer look.
Our Photographer :
Dilum Madushanka (@safari_sailor) is a Marine engineer by profession and his motto is “Six months in the Sea and Six months in the Jungle”. He is a nature enthusiast, with an uncanny ability to capture the best moments in the wild. His passion is to raise awareness about the fascinating great outdoors, through his photography and videography.