Leopards of Wilpattu

Born September 2025

2nd April 2026 at 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.

1st April 2026 at 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.