Leopard Safari

It has been few days after we met at Cargills, I received a call from Sujeewa with an invitation for a trip to Wilpattu National Park on the following weekend which I could not resist. There was an uncertainty in my mind about the trip due to the weather condition when I receive second confirmation call from him just two days before the event. I didn’t want to make a fuss about the weather, so everything was arranged and scheduled to start on Friday night.

It was around 12.45 AM, when Sujeewa, Harsha and Pujitha came to my place. We started again just after everything loaded. Our last crew member Aravinda was waiting for us in Chilaw. Wind was heavy and sometimes it rained a lot though we had no clue what was going on. We reached Aravindas’ place with minor difficulties on the road (Few trees were fallen in to the Negombo road). When we got down at Aravindas place, we noticed the strength of the blowing wind. Even undergrowth was bent due to the strong wind. After enjoying refreshment from Aravindas’ place got everything packed and back on the road to Wilpattu.

We have reached Senevis – Our good old jeep owner – place around 5:30 AM as expected. After shifting load from Car to Jeep, it was time to start safari with a drizzle surrounding us. Soon it started to rain and the disappointment was all over our faces though the spirit was still holding on. We had to spend almost 45 minutes in front of the park office to get a tracker. It was Mr. Jayawardana, an old fellow which bought us kind of more disappointment due to bad experience we had before with old chaps. However, a moment later we managed to start our journey and were heading toward the park entrance.

First wildlife sighting was a Barking Deer which are commonly seen in the first scratch of the park entrance. They are very shy and quick. There was no trace of it before I could put my hand on the camera.

A Gray Heron looking for breakfast

Roads inside Wilpattu National Park

An Emerald Dove

Indian Pond Heron

Malabar Hornbills (male & female)

They have left only footprints

We had to come to the resting place of the park which is Kumbuk Wila, to have our breakfast without many sightings. Effort to keep the place clean by the Friends of Wilpattu seems working; the place was much cleaner than before. I m sorry I could not take any photographs of the place to share with you all.

It was just before finishing out breakfast with Pujithas’ genuine fish Abul Thiyal, we received an information about a sighting at Kuruttupandi. Our tracker wanted to give it a try so we got back in to the jeep. There were no signs of wildlife when we first got there but the keen eye of Senevi has spotted a leopard on the far side bank. Shortly it has disappeared in to the forest.

Leopard on the far side bank of the Kuruttupandi Villu

We decided to cycle around the place hoping it will come to the road & we were lucky!

It was coming straight at us

Watchful

Eye to eye

It went pass us and went in to the wood so that we went toward Panikkar Villu. Panikkar Villu was making glorious landscapes with Kokmota and the purple flower – which I don’t know the name – bloomed. I always wanted to shoot something in between them. Lucky one was a Black Headed Ibis.

Black headed Ibis

Black Headed Ibis

It was getting late and started to rain again so we decided to go to the camp site and prepare lunch. It was around three in the evening when we started our second session of the day after a delicious lunch prepared mainly by Aravinda with our side supports.

For the third time of the day we saw the same leopard few yards away from the place we saw it in the morning. This time it was inside the forest patch. We spent long time with it and fed up.

Cat eyes

Eyes on the lookout

Up or down

Blend with the nature

It was time to head back to the camp site. On our way back we saw our fourth leopard sighting of the day.

No it isn’t the leopard

Here I am… Catch me if you can..

It was a chilly night at the camp. We gathered around a camp fire for the dinner and had a long chat together. Mr. Jayawardhana shared his experience with us and how those old rangers work hard to keep wildlife parks in the state we see them today. Finally leaving all our disappointments, he has become a great assert to our trip and who is a walking library about Wilpattu National Park. There was no road he hasn’t been on the foot in Wilpattu.

We were supposed to wake up at five in the morning to prepare Kiribath for the breakfast. Busy morning schedule kept us at the camp site longer than we expected. Finally we managed to pack Kiribath and Lunumiris and started morning session around 6.30. The leopard which we saw previous evening was at the same place again.

Would you like to play..?

Who cares for them

Bye byee photo maniacs

Not far from the leopard sight we saw this peafowl making beautiful scenery on a villu ground.

Attractive… (Indian Peafowl)

I love those backgrounds (Indian Peafowl)

We have seen few Kingfishers at Nelumvila, I was only interested of capturing the Common Kingfisher. There were few Wooly necked Storks, who made no interest in my mind. However, on the way to Panikkar Vllu we saw a lizard that I haven’t seen before (Thanks to Vattern photographer Mr. Keerthi who has spotted and photographing it).

The common but not so common (Common Kingfisher)

I m not a lizard expert. Can someone help us here?

There was nothing much in Panikkar Villu or Thalawila area. The bird life was significantly low. On the way back to the camp site we saw three jackals, only two were captured.

Jackals

At the camp site, while others were busy in preparing lunch I escaped to look around to find some macros.

Restless Demon

A beautiful flower much like Bovitiya

Oriental Scarlet

A Monkey Puzzle after a long time

Blue Sprite

After having noodles for the lunch, we cleaned up the camp site and packed everything back to the jeep. From the start of our evening it was giving us opportunities. Not many but more than enough. There was a Hawk Eagle flying among trees with a pray and a Brown Fish Owl.

A Hawk Eagle with its pray (looks like a Junglefowl)

Brown Fish Owl

Brown Fish Owl (remind me a sense from the Legend of the Guardians)

We were following a Sea Eagle when we came across the final leopard of the day at Kudapathessa. We spent almost the whole evening with him.

Finally you guys came to see me

I m busy though

I can spend some time performing to you

Drink or not..

Shows over, get out now

Finally we decided to leave the leopard alone and try to find a bear around Maradamaduwa. There were no bear sightings but this proud looking Serpent Eagle was on a try by the road.

Serpent Eagle

Just before we reached the main gate, two huge elephants were come from the wood and they were blocking our path. They spent about 45 minutes blocking our way out. It was around 7 PM when they left the road in to the wood so that we could get out of the park.

The Road Block

We thanked our tracker and the safari jeep owner and left Wilpattu with lot of exiting memories.

Thanks for reading.