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5th March 2023 at 6.00pm one leopard at the open glade between Thammanna Wala and Maha Wewa. N 08.35631, E 080.12292
Around 5.35pm few jeep drivers and guides informed us of a female leopard that they had spotted with a Mouse Deer kill at the large glade between Thammanna Wala and Maha Wewa. We parked at the spot for some time but as there was no signs of the leopard decided to leave. Just as we were driving off received information that a leopard was . We turned back and managed to get a few images of the leopards before leaving to reach the park entrance in time. Upon examining the spot pattern, I noted that it is Maha Wewa Female 1 (MHWF 1). This female was observed with two cubs at this location on the 7th of January 2023.
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7th January 2023 at 5.42pm one leopard between Maha Wewa and Thammanna Wala. N 08.35631, E 080.12292
Safari jeep driver Jagath told me that he had seen a female leopard and a cub at this location, and they moved into the forest less than 30 seconds before my arrival. As he left, I moved forward, and spotted a leopard seated ahead of me on the road. While photographing I observed that she was calling out to her cub. Unfortunately for me the cub did not move back on to the road and I had to leave to reach the park entrance by 6.00pm. I drove off thinking how great it would have been if I had arrived a few minutes before. Upon checking her spot pattern, I was pleased to note that the female was Maha Wewa Female 1 (MHWF 1).
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( One of the two female cubs of the firt litter of Thammanna Wala Female 2 THWF 2))
4th September 2021 at 7.05am one Leopard at Maha Wewa. N 08.37500, E 080.12736
We drove down to Maha Wewa and spotted a female leopard lying on a small earth bund by the side of the road. She was quite relaxed and allowed us to get some good images. After about 10 minutes she stretched herself and walked behind the vehicle and moved into the forest. Later upon examination of her spot pattern I was quite pleased to note that this is one of the two female cubs of the first litter of Thammanna Wala Female 2 (THWF 2) that I had listed under Leopards of Wilpattu – Guest section as Maha Wewa Leopard 1. Even though I had records of her from July 2018 this is my first sighting of this elusive female. I had received images of this female with a cub in February 2021 but there was no record of the cub since then. Considering the first records of this cat I estimated her age to be around 5 years and 2 months now. I named it Maha Wewa Female 1 with the code MHWF 1.
