Leopards of Wilpattu

6th March 2023 at 4.25pm one leopard at Borupan Wila N 08.42564, E 080.02268

The leopard was sleeping in one of the islands of bushes found at Borupan Wila. It was hardly visible. We arrived at the location around 3.30pm. Many of the jeeps that arrived left as there was no view of the leopard. Around 4.25pm the leopard broke cover and I managed to get a few images. Thereafter the young leopard walked through the grass on to the opposite side of the villu. Upon examination of the spot pattern, I was happy to note that it is Borupan Wila Female 3 (BWFC 3)

6th February 2021 at 1.08pm one leopard between Illanda Motte and Manik Wila.
N 08.45453, E 079.98639

It was a female leopard and looked disturbed by my vehicle and two vehicles advancing on the Manik Wila upper road. I managed to get a few images as she moved into the forest which enabled me to identify the leopard. It was Borupan Wila Female 3 (BWFC 3). The vehicles had been following the leopard. Once the vehicles had moved off, we moved towards Illanda Motte and waited on the road expecting the leopard to come back on to the road. Having waited for 25 minutes decided to drive off and as we did saw the leopard ahead of us on the road walking in our direction. We I reversed the vehicle beyond a bend until she was out of sight, parked a waited with our cameras ready expecting her to continue her walk towards Illanda Motte. But we were out of luck. As she failed to appear, I moved forward and observed that her pug marks had stopped a little beyond the bend and she had moved back into the forest.

4th February 2021 at 12.25pm one female leopard between Mana Wila and Down Hall Pitiya.
N 08.46811, E 079.99010

As we drove towards Downhall pitiya a leopard leaped off the road into the forest ahead of the vehicle. It was a female leopard. I immediately revered the vehicle to give the animal space and after a short while she walked back on to the road. She walked in our direction for about 100 meters and I kept on reversing the vehicle to maintain space between the advancing leopard and my vehicle. After walking for some time, she was alerted by some sounds emanating from the forest walked into the forest. Later upon examination of her spot pattern I was thrilled to note that that this is Borupan Wila Female 3 (BWFC 3), one of the two female cubs of the third litter of Borupan Wila Female 2. (With guide Tissa Ratnayake)

8th June 2019 at 9.57am 2 Leopards between Borupan junction and Kumbuk Wila sand patch.

N 08.41746, E 080.02265
As we arrived at Borupan junction I noted that a safari jeep was parked at a distance and the driver flashed the headlights. I approached cautiously to find two Leopards lying close to each other by the side of the road. I was able to identify the two female Leopards as Broupan Wila Female 3 & 4 (BWFC 3 & 4). The two siblings were on the road together for about forty minutes and BWFC 4 moved in to the forest. BWFC 3 remained for about 7 minutes and walked in to the forest in the opposite direction.

5.30pm a Leopard between Kumbuk Wila sand patch and Borupan junction. N 08.41756, E 080.02254

The Leopard was Borupan Wila Female 3 (BWFC 3) and was walking down the road in our direction. We stopped about 50 meters from the Leopard to ensure no disturbance. Having walked for a short distance she started to stalk a group of Jungle Fowl gathered in the forest. She crawled with her body close to the ground to conceal herself and looked over the bushes cautiously on few occasions at the Jungle Fowl. Having crawled along the road almost up to the flock of Birds she pounced in to the forest causing the birds to fly in all directions making frantic distress calls. I drove up and found that the young hunter had not succeeded. As the park rules require us to be at the bungalow by 6pm we drove off to reach Maradanmaduwa in time. (with guide Tissa Ratnayake)

6th June 2019 at 5.00pm 2 Leopards at Borupan junction. N 08.41648, E 080.02549

We arrived from Sudu Muwa Wala and spotted the two Leopards walking in the direction of Walas Wala. It was an adult female and her young female cub. Even though they were together the adult female did not show any affection to her cub despite the cub being quite playful and affectionate towards her mother. Upon examining the spot patterns I was quite pleased to note that this is Borupan Wila Female 2 (BWF 2) with her cub Borupan Wila Female 4 (BWFC 3), the sibling of the Leopard I photographed in the morning at Borupan Wila. The Leopards walked a short distance and moved back in to the forest. (with guide Tissa Ratnayake)

17th April 2019 at 3.06pm one Leopard at Borupan pitiya. N 08.42738, E 080.02568

While on the Borupan upper road we heard Spotted Deer alarm calls and drove down to the “wila”. Upon observing the direction of sight of the Spotted Deer barking out frantic alarm calls we managed spot the leopard. It was a young female. She walked out of cover, sniffed and marked a bush but moved back in to the forest in the direction of the upper road. We drove up and met the leopard again on the road. She walked along the road for a short distance but moved back in to the forest prior to which I managed to get a few images. The spot pattern revealed its identity as Borupan Wila Female 3 (BWFC 3). ( with guide D.M.Wasantha Kumara)

18th April 2019 at 7.47am one Leopard on the road between Kumbuk Wila sand patch and Borupan junction. N 08.41880, E 080.01824

The Leopard was walking in our direction and stopped to “mark” a bush by the side of the road. There after the young leopard remained seated on the road for a few minutes prior to walking across the edge of the road. Having taken a few images I reversed to give way for the vehicle parked behind me to get a clear view. Having studied the spot pattern I noted that this is Borupan Wila Female 3 (BWFC 3), the same female Leopard that I photographed the previous day.

4.15pm one Leopard at Thimbiri Wila. N 08.42439, E 080.01178

We spotted the Leopard seated under a tree across the water. After a few minutes the cat walked up to water’s edge and started to drink. Having drunk its fill moved back in to the forest. Later upon studying the spot pattern I was able to identify it as Borupan Wila Female 3 (BWFC 3), the same leopard I observed in the morning. ( with guide D.M.Wasantha Kumara)

18th November 2018 at 3.45pm one Leopard on Lunu Wewa road. N 08.44161, E 080.02019

We drove down to Lunu Wewa bungalow and were on our way back when we spotted the Leopard seated by the side of the road. It was a female and was sniffing the bushes intently. On a few occasions she lifted both her paws up to reach up to sniff the bushes. In less than two minutes she walked across the road and moved in to the forest. Having examined the images I noted that it is Kumbuk Wila Female 2 (KWFC 2). This female is now 2 years and 8 months old and is showing signs of being in eustress for the first time. She appear to be following the male in whose company she was observed yesterday on Kumbuk Wila upper road and which male I photographed in the morning on this road. However this male is now about the same age as the female and is yet to reach sexual maturity. Even though female leopards reach sexually mature around 2 years and 6 months and are able to conceive males appear to take a longer period to reach sexual maturity. (with guide Tissa Ratnayake)

24th October 2018 at 8.30am 2 Leopards between Kumbuk Wila sand patch and Borupan junction. N 08.41827, E 080.02020

The two young female leopards were seated together by the side o the road and one moved across the road as we approached them. In less than 10 minutes she moved out again to join her sister. Having checked their spot pattern I identified them as Borupan Wila Female 3 & 4 (BWFC 3& 4) These two cubs are around 1 year and three months now.
9.20am left the leopards. (with guide Tissa Ratnayake)

28th July 2018 at 6.57am 3 Leopards between Borupan junction and Borupan Wila. N 08.41996, E 080.02377

Having noticed the alarm calls of the Grey Langur’s we stopped the vehicle and listened. The calls were moving towards the road. I angled the vehicle in expectation of a leopard moving on to the road. After a few minutes Borupan Wila Female 2 (BWF 2) and her two female cubs, Borupan Wila Female 3 (BWFC 3) and the cub I had not photographed Borupan Pitiya Leopard 3 walked on to the road. The mother as usual was quite keen to move out of sight. They walked in the direction of Borupan Wila and moved in to the forest. I was able to capture few images of the second female cub I did not have and named it Borupan Wila Female 4 (BWFC 4).  The cubs are one year old now. (with guide Tissa Ratnayake)