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Leopard Hunt- Wilpattu edition

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Year and Month August, 2013
Number of Days Three Day Trip
Crew 5 (between 26-28 years of age)
Accommodation L.L.T Safari Hotel, Wilpattu
Transport Car up to Wilpattu and a safari jeep inside the NP
Activities Safari / Photography / Wild Life
Weather Excellent
Route Gampaha>Negambo > Puttalam> Wilpattu
Tips, Notes and Special remark
  • Please do not expect to see animals like you are in a zoo. I saw some of the people scolding n cursing drivers and jeep owners saying they couldn’t see any… It is all your luck!!!! Just understand that..
  • Saw so much polythene and items left here and there. Try to take care about the items and garbage you keep inside the safari jeeps. Saw so much bags flying outside due to wind and all.
Author anton gihan
Comments Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread

Hello friends,

We started from Gampaha at about 5 o’clock in the morning. The crew was five in a car. Could not book a bungalow inside the park and since arranged to stay @ L.L.T safari hotel close by wilpattu park. Owner Tiuder is a very nice and honest guy. He has few jeeps as well. Charges were very fair and helpful as well. Contact him through 0714187083 and try to arrange the driver named Dammika. Very nice and a great guy who will go for that extra bit to show us the best.

We came to the hotel by 10.30am. Drive was great. Went for a safari in the afternoon after having lunch. Will post the pics..

so many corcks were there..

so many corcks were there..

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two jackals we met…

two jackals we met…

And then we met the 1st leopard. Thought it was dead in the beginning since it was not moving at all. Saw him breathing through the camera lens. Guess it had a heavy meal n trying to relax… we were next to him for almost 1 hour.

wake up!!!

wake up!!!

Finally!!! Awake…

Finally!!! Awake…

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time to clean…

time to clean…

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and went back to sleep..

and went back to sleep..

It wasn’t in a mood to get up. It was almost 5.30pm and we allowed the big cat to rest and start moving since we have to get out from the park by 6.30pm.

We woke up early in the morning and cleared the gate by 6.15am. Hoping that we will have some luck today as well.

Was a great morning…

Was a great morning…

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Was a natural death...

Was a natural death…

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Sambar Deer

Sambar Deer

And then we were lucky again.. Though it vanished to the jungle very fast.

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Then we found a carcass secured nicely on top of a tree. We were there for a long time and went to the same place several times to see if we can see the leopard on top.. but we were not lucky..

Wild boar

Wild boar

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Some people do not understand this… 

Some people do not understand this… 

The was the only jumbo we met..

The was the only jumbo we met..

take off

take off

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Snake

Snake

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That was the end of the 2nd day.. We saw three leopards but could capture only one since one was way inside the thick jungle and one we saw in the dark n far away…

Third and last day morning was the best. We met a leopard very close as soon as we started the safari. Pics will tell you the story.

Those eyes…

Those eyes…

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o-O

o-O

Got to go…

Got to go…

Going inside…

Going inside…

Hum.. Time to relax…

Hum.. Time to relax…

Stop taking pics men!!!

Stop taking pics men!!!

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Eye to eye…

Eye to eye…

Time to sleep…

Time to sleep…

We were next to the leopard for about 15 mins and took all the pics we need. It went to sleep and the place started to get crowded. So we decided to go from there and have breakfast. We went and checked the boar carcass .it was half gone. Guess that was the reason for the big cat’s sleepiness 

Half gone

Half gone

After breakfast we started to move around again. Then suddenly saw two cubs in the road and they vanished to the thick jungle in a flash. Were able to see the mother leopard too by the naked eye through the trees. Wish we were lucky to capture that rare moment with 3 leopards.. This was the only clear pic I was able to take.

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After finishing the morning safari, we came to the hotel and had lunch. Thanked the jeep driver Dammika and hotel owner Tiuder for all the support. Came back home happily in the same route talking how lucky we were again. Same like last time in Yala. But wonder when we will see a sloth bear :-)  looking forward to see one during the next Kumana camping in September!!!

Thanks for reading the report. Will write soon!!!

 


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