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29th July 2017 at 6.42am One Leopard at Thambi Oluwa. N 08.38267, E080.06187
I noticed that a vehicle is parked close to Thambi Oluwa water hole and we observed a leopard on the road ahead of the vehicle. I approached at very low speed and stopped the engine. Upon seeing a Sloth Bear at a distance the leopard moved to the left edge of the road sat down and watched it for some time. The Bear did not show any signs of being alerted by the leopard and kept on advancing while sniffing the ground off and on. When the distance from the Bear was about 15-20 feet the leopard walked across the road very slowly in to the forest. I was fortunate enough to get the leopard and the Sloth Bear in one frame. Upon examining the images I noted that the leopard was Maradanmaduwa Male 2 (MMMC 2) (with Guide Tissa Ratnayake)
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9th February 2017 at 5.50pm One Leopard at “Eda Kohomba Gaha Pitiya” at Maradanmaduwa. N 08.36927, E080.07764
The Leopard was sleeping on the edge of the glade. After a few minutes the leopard raised its head, yawned and started to lick its paws. Having got a few photos I moved away as I wanted to reach the park entrance by 6.30pm. When it raised its head I was able to instantly identify the leopard as Maradanmaduwa Male 2 (MMMC 2). (with Guide Tissa Ratnayake)
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16th October 2016 at 6.35am 1 Leopard on the middle of the road between the three causeways and Maradanmaduwa. N 08.36982, E 080.07580
The leopard was seated on the middle of the road. I stopped the vehicle keeping a distance of about 30 meters to ensure that the animal is not disturbed and started to photograph. Upon the arrival of a second vehicle the leopard stood up and started to walk in the direction of Maradanmaduwa. Having walked for about 50 meters it moved in to an open glade to the right. A Black-naped Hare that had been hiding under a nearby bush sprinted away upon the arrival of the Leopard but had no reaction from the cat. Thereafter with the arrival of two other vehicles the young leopard bounced across the road and walked in the direction of the large glade at Maradanmaduwa. I was able to observed the leopard for about 8 minutes. Having enlarged the images on my camera I noted that this is Maradanmaduwa Male 2 (MMMC 2). (with guide Dinesh Kumara)
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24th April 2016 at 9.40am 2 Leopards on a Palu tree at Maradanmaduwa. I was able to instantly identify them as the Maradanmaduwa Male 1 and 2 (MMMC 1 & MMMC 2). N 08.37967, E080.06647
They were sleeping on the branches. I parked the vehicle at a spot where I had a better view to observe and photograph them. One of them stood up and moved towards his brother and started to lick him on its back. After this show of affection they got off the tree. MMMC 1 climbed a tree at a distance and MMMC 1 started to walk in the direction of Thambi Oluwa. These two leopards are now around 1 year and six months of age and are seen on their own but will stay with their mother for another 5 months before becoming independent.
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10.15am two more safari jeeps arrived and we decided to move so that they can get a better view. Nanda suggested that we drive down a little on the Maha Wewa road and come back. I was quite glade we did as we had a good Sloth Bear sighting.
10.35am arrived back at the location where the leopards were seen and spotted MMMC 2 on a bent log where I had photographed them previously. (with Nanda Senanayake)
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22nd April 2016 at 5.55pm 1 Leopard, Maradanmaduwa Male 2 ( MMMC 2) on Ikirigollawa road. N 08.37260, E080.07259
I was driving towards Maradanmaduwa and met the leopard on the road as I approached the plains. It moved a few feet in to the forest, sat down briefly and moved further in to the forest. This leopard is around 1 year and 5 months and would become independent in another few months.
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21st February 2016 at 12.05pm Maradanmaduwa Male 2 (MMMC 2) sleeping on the same fallen tree trunk.
Every 30 to 40 minutes the leopard would yawn and changed the direction it was facing permitting me to get some good images of this young leopard.
2.49pm upon the arrival of my friend Namal Kamalgoda (a very keen wild life photographer) I decided to move my vehicle from where I was parked so that he could also photograph the leopard and proceed towards Periya Villu. (with guide Sanath)
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20th February 2016 at 8.52am 1 Leopard, Maradanmaduwa Male 2 (MMMC 2) at Maradanmaduwa. N 08.37961, E 080.06660.
Having spotted this leopard at this location the previous evening and having noted the foul smell of a possible “kill” I decided to park the vehicle close this location today as well. Within a short time of our arrival a leopard was seen on the road about 200 meters from where I was parked but moved in to the forest before I was able to get any photos. I moved close to where the leopard had entered the forest and was fortunate enough to get a few photos, which enabled me to identify the leopard.
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10.16am the leopard is still lying in the under growth and can only be seen through the foliage with the help of Binoculars.
11.32am MMMC 2 climbed on to the same fallen log on which I photographed it for the first time on the 19th of September 2016. Safari jeep driver Supun very kindly moved his jeep permitting me to photograph the leopard. Having photographed I quickly moved back permitting Supun to move back so that his visitors were also able to view and photograph the leopard.
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12.00 noon left the leopard to drive towards Percy Bendi Wewa.
3.45pm we arrived back at Maradanmaduwa where MMMC 2 was seen. I was thrilled to see another leopard on the log but was not able to photograph. They were quite playful and kept jumping on and off the log. By the time I was able to move my vehicle to a location where I was able to get a few shots only MMMC 2 was remaining on the log. After some time the young leopard stood up, stretched and jumped on to the nearby vertical tree and jumped back on to the log. Judging by the appearance and behaviour it is likely that the second leopard is MMMC 1. (with guide Sanath)
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19th February 2016 at 5.59pm 1 Leopard, Maradanmaduwa Male 2 (MMMC 2) was seen at Maradanmaduwa. N 08.38048, E 080.06506.
The jeep that was following the leopard kindly permitted me to go ahead to take some photographs. Having walked for a short distance the leopard lied down on the road. After a few minutes it moved in to the forest upon a vehicle that arrived from the opposite direction moving too close to the animal. It was about a 100 meters from where I photographed it first with its brother and mother on 19th September 2015. When I saw this leopard for the first time on the 19th of September 2015 where I did not have a clear view of its hind-quarters I suspected it to be a female as it was smaller in size compared to its brother Maradanmaduwa Male 1 (MMMC 1). During this trip where I had clear views of the animal from all angles I was able to clear my doubts and confirm that it is in fact another a male. (with guide Sanath)
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19th September 2015 at 9.35am 3 Leopards between Maradanmaduwa and Thambi Oluwa. N 08.38010 E 080.06572
Two were on a fallen tree trunk and one moved down as we arrived. The third was on the ground with only its tail visible through the bushes. The two on the tree trunk were two male cubs of about 9 to 10 months. This is my first sighting of these leopards and I named them Maradanmaduwa Male 1 (MMMC 1) and Maradanmaduwa Male 2 (MMMC 2)
11.40am 1 Leopard MMMC 1 on the same tree trunk between Thambi Oluwa and Maradanmaduwa.
1.46pm 2 Leopards, Maradanmaduwa Male 1 (MMMC 1) and Maradanmaduwa Male 2 (MMMC 2) on the same fallen tree trunk. I observed them for approximately 2 hours till 3.50pm. The third leopard was not visible.
4.55pm 3 Leopards on the fallen tree trunk between Thambi Oluwa and Maradanmaduwa.
I was informed by a jeep driver at Kumbuk Wila that with the increase of the safari jeeps some visitors had disturbed the leopards and moved in to the forest. As these were cubs I expected them to remain in the same locality and with the jeeps leaving the location for them to be back on the tree trunk again.
Having arrived at the location I was thrilled to observe three leopards on the tree trunk. While two of the cubs could be seen well the third leopard was covered by foliage.
While I was photographing the two cubs the third leopard moved towards the cubs and started too lick them demonstrating maternal behavior. This activity lasted for about 6 minutes and permitted me to capture some images of the three leopards together. Later upon examining the spot and rosette pattern of the third leopard I realized that it is the Maradanmaduwa Female 1 (MMFC 1) that I had last observed at Maradanmaduwa in December 2013. As female leopards are known to produce their first litter when they are around 2 and half years I’m certain that these two cubs should be her first litter.
With the arrival of other jeeps I moved my vehicle to allow the others parked behind me also view this fascinating sight.
