Leopards of Wilpattu Photo Gallery

     2 Sightings    
Leopards of Wilpattu
Leopards of Wilpattu
Leopards of Wilpattu

Nelum Wila Male 3 - NWM 3

Locations of sightings

Nelum Wila, Kokkare Villu and Borupan Wila Junction, Thimbiri Wila

First Sighting

23rd April 2016 at 9.57am

All sightings of Author & Guests

All sightings of Author & Guests

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  • 7th March 2015 at Borupan Junction – Rajiv Welikala
  • 3rd April 2016 5.30pm Kokkare Villu – C.K.Dissanayake
  • 16th April 2016 7.19am at Kokkare Villu – Enoka Mohotty
  • 23rd  April 2016 10.06am at Nelum Wila – KG
  • 13th November 2016 5.27pm at Nelum Wila sand patch – Enoka Mohotty
  • 18th April 2017 3.59pm at Borupan Wila mating with BWF 2 – Namal Kamalgoda
  • 22nd April 2017 5.17pm at Borupan Pitiya with KWFC 2 – KG
  • 26th December 2017 7.30am Thimbiri Wila – Hemantha Wimalasena
  • 26th December 2017 7.30am Thimbiri Wila – Namal Kamalgoda
  • 2nd November 2021 10.00am between Borupan Wila and Thimbiri Wila – Isanka Kumara

  • 22nd April 2017 at 5.28pm two Leopards at Borupan Pitiya. N 08.42384, E080.02508
    Having observed few jeeps parked at the turn off to Borupan pitiya I approached them and realized that they were watching a leopard. Guide Supun signaled me to take the vehicle forward. The female cub was with an adult male leopard. It was an extremely brief sighting of about 3 minutes. Both the leopards moved in to the forest upon the arrival of other jeeps. Later upon examination of the images I was able to identify both the leopards. The male was Nelum Wila Male 3 (NWM 3) and the female cub was Kumbuk Wila Female 2 (KWFC 2).
    Four days ago, on the 18th of April Namal Kamalgoda observed the same male mating with Borupan Wila Female 2 (BWF 2), the mother of this female cub. As the cub, which is only one year and 4 months, is yet to become totally independent and far too young to mate I assumed that its mother also would have been close. It could well be that this male is her father. This sighting is of great importance to me as it was an interaction between an adult male and a cub, which is seldom observed in the wild. I’m extremely thankful to guide Supun for permitting me to take the vehicle forward at the most crucial time, which enable me to photograph the two leopards. (with guide Tissa Ratnayake)

    • Nelum Wila Male 3-NWM 3 - 22nd April 2017 at 5.28pm Nelum Wila Male 3-NWM 3 - 22nd April 2017 at 5.28pm Nelum Wila Male 3-NWM 3 - 22nd April 2017 at 5.28pm

  • 23rd April 2016 at 9.57am 1 Leopard between Nelum Wila sand patch and Nelum Wila. N 08.40274, E079.98156.
    It was lying on the road but moved in to the forest upon seeing the vehicle. We drove pass where the leopard was seen up to Nelum Wila and waited for a few minutes before turning back. As we approached where the leopard was seen spotted him again hiding behind a decaying log and drove ahead towards the sand patch. Turned back and parked at a distance where we were able to have a view of the road where the leopard was seen. After about 10 minutes the leopard walked on to the road looked in our direction and started walking away from us towards Nelum Wila. When he walked out of sight we advanced and the shy animal immediately moved back in to the forest. This is my first sighting of this leopard. It is a mature male and I estimated its age to be around 6 years. I names it Nelum Wila Male 3 (NWM 3)

    (with guide Sanath)

    • Nelum Wila Male 3-NWM 3 - 23rd April 2016 at 9.57am Nelum Wila Male 3-NWM 3 - 23rd April 2016 at 9.57am Nelum Wila Male 3-NWM 3 - 23rd April 2016 at 9.57am