NOTES ON FIELD TRIPS TO WILPATTU NATIONAL PARK

6.30am one Elephant, 35 Spotted Deer and 7 Mugger crocodiles at Hunuwilagama Tank.

7.30am arrived at the park entrance.

8.31am one Leopard at Maha Wewa. N 08.37494, E 080.12744

It was a young female cub of about 7 months of age. The leopard was lying down on a bent “Palu” tree about 100 meters from the road at Maha Wewa. The feline was only visible through the foliage from one narrow opening, and the vehicles had to queue up and take turns to get a view. She was sleeping with her head down and out of sight. After a few rounds of spending about five minutes and returning to the end of the queue I was fortunate to have my turn when she raised her head. I managed to take a few images of her looking in my direction and the two sides of her face during another turn, enabling me to identify the leopard. Around 1.45pm she climbed down and disappeared into the forest. I had received images of this cub and her male sibling from Pathum Neeliya on the 9th of January 2026 and listed her in “Leopards of Wilpattu – Guest” section as Maha Wewa leopard 7. Since this is my first sighting I named her as Maha Wewa Female 2 with the code MHWFC 2.

2.39am the butterfly season had begun in Wilpattu with many of these endemic Sri Lankan Lesser Albatross butterflies flying along the roads. They gather in large numbers in damp locations “mud sipping” where they feed on minerals from the ground. I photographed such a large gathering at Ibba Wala.

3.20pm I arrived at Nelum Wila and was informed by a safari jeep driver that a Leopard had moved into a small patch of forest around 10.30am and they had waited until now and left since the cat did not move out.

3.40pm I arrived at the spot and managed to spot the leopard with the help of my binoculars sleeping less than 20 feet from the road but well concealed by foliage. N 08.40732, E 079.98463

5.05pm the Leopard moved on to the road and walked towards the road to Panikkar Villu.  The young male “marked” the bushes along the road.
I followed the leopard and managed to get a few images as he looked in my direction before disappearing into the forest.  Later upon examining its spot pattern I was pleased to note that this is the male cub of the second litter of the famed Manikrala Uraniya Female 1 that I had named as Kuruttupandi Male 1 (KRPMC 1). This young male is 2 years and two months of age now.

6.00pm left the park.

6.30pm 87 Spotted deer and two bull elephants at Hunuwilagama tak.

2nd April 2026

7.10am entered the park.

10.22am The wild orchid Vanilla walkeraewas in bloom at Thimbiri Wila.

This species is found in South India as well. It is a leafless epiphytic orchid that produces beautiful large white flowers in April, May and June. The body of the plant is a thick greenish climber that attaches itself to its host tree or bush with tiny roots.

10.27am A Great Stone Plover was incubating two eggs she had laid on the sandy area bordering the road at Thimbiri Wila.

The bird moved away upon the approach of my vehicle, but I noticed that she returned to the same spot within a few minutes. Upon examining the area with my binoculers, I was able to detect the two well camouflaged eggs on the ground. I parked at a distance to observe the bird while causing minimum disturbance. Within a few minutes she walked up to the eggs and settled on the same.

2.43pm one Leopard at Maha Wewa. N 08.37494, E 080.12744

It was Maha Wewa Female 2, the same leopard that was found at this location yesterday.  She was sleeping on the same tree with only half of her body visible. Around 4 pm as I pulled up to take my turn, she moved her position allowing me to get a few good images. I hurriedly clicked a few and left permitting others behind me to take their turn.

4.45pm left the park.

6.15pm a herd of 15 elephants arrived at the Hunuwilagama tank.