This is a long overdue post. But what can I say, I have been busy with assignments and exams. Before I left for uni however, I was fortunate enough to make a trip down to the Yala National Park. It was a spontaneous trip. We had just hopped off a boat (which we had used to spy on Blue Whales), when we all decided, “hey, lets go see some leopards!”. So on we drove to the open wilderness to see some big spotted kitties. It was rather late by the time we got to the park. We had about 2 hours to venture within its depths before we were evicted. But on we all trudged with high spirits and praying to God that He would drop down a leopard from the Heavens above, just so that we would not kick ourselves for being just a tad over enthusiastic.
As we entered the park we were greeted by a rather jolly Malabar Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros coronatus) that skipped and hopped among the branches of a tree-that-I-can’t-identify and seemed to be eating something-which-I-couldn’t-identify-either. He danced about the tree for quite awhile until, everyone in the jeep got highly fidgety and we decided to bid farewell to the bird.
We then drove around and around (quite fast I should add) as our driver was getting calls from his son as to where all the animals were that fine evening. This may confuse you, the reader, a bit but let me clarify. Our driver and his son work as a tight team when they drive people around the park. They feed each other valuable information, which I think is rather dandy! Our tracker on the other hand was sound asleep and would not have awoken even if a leopard sat on his lap and chewed happily on his big toe!
Bump bump bump we went on the gravel roads, passing a few elephants and a couple of Sambhur (Cervus unicolor unicolor) who were enjoying an evening siesta. We then passed by a Brahaminy Kite (Haliastur indus indus) and an Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) who were having a very intense staring competition, but we didn’t linger long enough to see who won.
We also saw three Sri Lankan Sloth Bears (Melursus ursinus inornatus). A mother with her two cubs. I took some pictures of them but due to low light they look more like three large blurry blobs.
It was about 10 minutes of aimless driving when our driver (I can’t remember his name) got a frantic call from his son. There was a leopard. A big male who decided to follow the Sambhur’s example and was dozing in a clearing just three minutes away from our current location. As if we had an army of Bullet Ants chasing us, our jeep practically flew to where the leopard was. And what a site we saw! He was apparently the largest leopard in the park, and was absolutely stunning! All he did for 15 minutes was pose for everyone. He rolled on his back, and played with his tail. The walked a bit, sat and walked some more.
It was like he knew that we made that trip just for him… Or maybe he just felt a little sorry for the funny looking primates who oooed and ahhhed at his magnificence, and wanted us to feel a little special. After a while we heard another leopard call, possibly a female. That was the males curtain call. He stood up, and walked away leaving a stream of gob struck onlookers in his wake.
So now that I am back home for a precious holiday, I will make my way yet again to Yala. This time for a longer visit. Hopefully it will be as fruitful as the previous visit and I will get to see more than one leopard! I also want to take some better pictures of Sloth Bears. Will write about that adventure later.
-Tigs
