Leopards of Wilpattu

11 Sightings

Kudapatessa Male 1 - KPMC 1

Locations of sightings

Kudapatessa, Mahapatessa, Kuruttupandi Villu, Panikkar Villu, Kokkare Villu, Nelum Wila, Down Hall Pitiya, Panikka Villu, Nelum Wila

First Sighting

31st August 2012 at 5.50pm.

All sightings of Author & Guests

25th October 2014 at 4.17pm KPMC 1 at Kokkare Villu. N 08.41407, E079.99105
It was lying down very close to where it was seen the previous day evening. Around 4.45pm it was alerted by a Spotted Deer stag that was seen trotting in to the jungle and moved in to the forest. ( with Guide podi Danushka)

Kudapatessa Male 1-KPMC 1 - 25th October 2014 at 4.17pm

24th October 2014 at 4.56pm Kudapatessa Male 1 (KPMC 1) at Kokkkare Villu near the road that lead s to Kumbuk Wila Uda Para. N 08.41374, E079.99130
It was sleeping on the edge of the forest and was not disturbed by the few vehicles that had gathered a short distance from where it was sleeping. I observed and photographed the leopard until 5.22am and left to reach the park entrance. ( with Guide podi Danushka)

Kudapatessa Male 1-KPMC 1 - 24th October 2014

10th August 2014 at 7.20 a.m : KPMC 1, sleeping across the water body at the Kudapatessa end of Mahapatessa.
N 08.43326, E079.99982. After a few minutes the leopard stood up and walked into the forest. (with guide podi Danushka)

Kudapatessa Male 1-KPMC 1 - 10th August 2014 at 7.20 a.m

9th August 2014 at 6.59 a.m: KPMC 1 lying on the road about 30-40 meters from Mahapatessa on the road to Kudapatessa. N 08.43274, E 079.99815.
Having spotted the leopard, I angled the vehicle keeping about 10 meters from the leopard and stopped. It rolled over on its back and slept with its eyes tightly closed. After a about 15 minutes with other vehicles approaching from both sides of the road, the leopard stood up and walked in the direction of Mahapatessa. I reversed the vehicle on to Mahapatessa, along with the other vehicles, expecting the leopard to break cover and walk to water but it was not sighted thereafter. Having waited for about an hour I drove off. (with Guide podi Danushka)

Kudapatessa Male 1-KPMC 1 - 9th August 2014 at 6.59 a.m

5th April 2014 at 12.22pm: The herd of 28 Wild Boar feeding at the edge of Panikkar Villu where the road leaves to Tala Wila included 13 half grown piglets. I took a few shots of the herd before they started to trot towards the jungle. As they entered the forest, Danushka said “sir me Kotiya” and the next moment a leopard sprinted past my vehicle and entered the forest following the herd. Sounds emanating from the forest indicated that the leopard had caused great panic and confusion in the herd. In less than half a minute the pigs stopped snorting and some moved out of the forest and looked in the direction of the forest. The leopard took cover using my vehicle to ambush the Wild Boar. The leopard was not to be seen; I therefore drove towards Tala Wila.
1.15pm: I drove back to the same spot where the leopard was seen and spotted it on a Madan Tree where the Wild Boar had entered the forest. It was KPMC 1. N 08.39491, E 079.95237. It was panting heavily. There was no clear view of the leopard as it was concealed by the foliage. I parked the vehicle where I was able to see the animal and had lunch as it rested.
2.45pm: The leopard moved to another branch and picked up a carcass of a small Wild Boar. The carcass was not visible to us until now. It had killed an immature Wild Boar the time it ambushed the herd. The leopard, after resting for almost 2 and half hours, started to feed. The foliage obstructed my view but I managed to get a few photos to capture the moment. It was quite dexterous in manoeuvering its prey to ensure that it does not fall off the tree as it fed. I was only about 30 feet away and the sounds of the young pig’s bones being crushed were quite audible as the leopard fed hungrily on the small carcass.
3.05pm: Having finished feeding, the leopard climbed down from the tree walked to the edge of the villu and drank for about 14 minutes. Thereafter, it moved under a shady tree and slept. ( With guide podi Danushka)

Kudapatessa Male 1-KPMC 1 - 5th April 2014 at 12.22pm

29th March 2014 5.15pm 1 Leopard, KPMC 1 at Kuruttupandi Villu. It was lying on the edge of the forest across the Villu. N 8 26.263 E 79 58.917. (with my wife Dilki Gunawardena, Dr. Srinath Seneviratne, Vasanta Seneviratne, Kissani Liyanage and guide podi Danushka).

Kudapatessa Male 1-KPMC 1 - 29th March 2014 5.15pm

21st September 2013 7.09am 1 Leopard- KPMC 1 at Kuruttupandi Villu. N 8.436450, E 79.982467
It was sleeping on the sand at the edge of the forest across the villu. ( With Guide Podi Danushka)
21st September 2013 7.24am a full-grown adult Wild Boar walked in to the villu and the young leopard having instantly detected the boar took up a stalking position but did not attack. ( With Guide Podi Danushka) 21st September 2013 7.34am the leopard disappeared behind the bushes in pursuit of the boar. The Boar did not appear to have observed the leopard and entered the forest as well. ( With Guide Podi Danushka)

Kudapatessa Male 1-KPMC 1 - 21st September 2013 7.24am.

9th June 2013 3.56pm-5.40pm KPMC 1 – at Kudapatessa. N 8.432700, E 79.991583
It was lying on the edge of the water to the right where the road to Kurutupandi falls on to Kudapatessa. It was quite relaxed and was playfully trying to catch the frogs that would jump in to the water upon its approach. There after its attention was on a Little Cormorant that was fishing close by. The leopard would follow the movements of the bird each time it surfaced and watched it with a lot of interest. At one point when the bird was quite close the leopard got up and quickly moved on the edge towards the bird where the bird flew off. There after it lied down with its front paws submerged in the water and drank. At 5.40pm upon the other two vehicles leaving the leopard cautiously walked toward my vehicle and got on the road in front of the same and started to walk towards Kurutupandi junction. We followed it for about 100meters but had to turn back to reach the park entrance on time. ( With Nanda Senanayake & guide Danushka Udayanga)

Kudapatessa Male 1-KPMC 1 - 9th June 2013 3.56pm-5.40pm

11th May 2013 09.25am -05.00pm. One sub adult male leopard lying down about 20 yards about 50meters from Mahapatessa to Kudapatessa. N 8.432817, E 79.998350
It was later identified as Kudapatessa Male 1 (KPMC 1). 10.56am with the number of vehicles increasing it moved another 10 yards in to the forest and was hardly visible. 01.40pm the leopard climbed a tree of about 40 feet in height and remained on the tree for a bout 7 minutes. It did not appear that it was pursuing any prey. Having climbed down it settled down again at the same place. Except for a few quick rounds I was parked at this sight until 5.00pm expecting the leopard was move to the open but had no luck. I had observed this leopard climbing to the top most branches of a Madan Tree at Kudapatessa on when I observed it last on the 26th November 2011. ( With guide Saranga)

Kudapatessa Male 1-KPMC 1 - 11th May 2013 09.25am -05.00pm.

26th November 2012 between 11.35am-12.50pm. As we entered Kudapatessa we watched a leopard walking towards the jungle across the Villu followed by a herd of about 8 Spotted Deer making alarm calls. N 8.431233, E 79.99348
Most were antlers. After about 5 minutes we watched it climb to the top most branches of a Madan tree across the Villu. Thereafter it came down and ran towards the yellow flower bushes from the sand dunes. It walked across the plains and drank water at the small waterhole surrounded by the yellow flowers and disappeared behind the single Madan tree. After about 5 minutes an antler walked from the right of the Madan Tree and we were looking for the leopard. As the deer passed the Madan tree it raised its tail, turned in the direction of the Madan tree and started to make alarm calls. After about a minute, it dashed to the left towards the rest of the deer. Then we noticed that the leopard had climbed the Madan tree. Even though it was quite far I managed to get a reasonable photograph to identify the leopard. I managed to identify it later as KPMC 1. We left with the leopard resting on this tree. (With Imaduwa and guide Saranga)

Kudapatessa Male 1-KPMC 1 - 26th November 2012 between 11.35am-12.50pm.

1st September 2012 at 5.45pm. 2 Leopards- KPMC 1 & KPFC 1 at Kudapattessa.N 8.431233, E 79.993483
They stalked two Barking Deer. (With guide Saranga)
31st August 2012 at 5.50pm. 2 Leopards at Kudapattessa. N 8.431233, E 79.993483
It was a male and a female. Named them KPMC 1 & KPFC 1. They were on the sand dunes to the right as you enter the wila. The male came down very cautiously as if it was stalking the Indian Peafowl that were there and drank from a small pool. Thereafter it walked up the sand dune to join the female which was seated on top of the sand dune. (With guide Saranga)

Kudapatessa Male 1-KPMC 1 - 31st August 2012 at 5.50pm.