“What was that?”

Thoughts of a young Sri Lankan leopard

“Eeek! There’s something slithering down there. Is it a snake or a monitor lizard? I wish I would get bigger soon, so that I don’t have to be afraid of anything. Is Mommy still asleep? She told me to stay up here while she naps. She said the spots on my body will keep me camouflaged and safe from any danger. Hope she wakes up soon. I’m hungry and that monitor lizard might be heading for the deer we left half-eaten. I don’t know why we can’t pull that deer up here and eat it. Mommy is strong enough to do that. But she says that we don’t need to, since there are no predators that can threaten us.”

Fun Facts

“I wonder when I will be able to bring down a Sambar. I’m quite good at catching rodents and hare. But it’s so hard to even catch little barking deer. I need to be more patient with my silent stalking. Mommy says that I have to learn to wait and that not every prey I get close to will be the one to pounce on. I don’t know what she means by that. But as soon as she wakes up I am going to practice my stalk and sprint technique till I am the deadliest leopard in Wilpattu!”

Story of the Photo

Dilum got this cute shot of a startled leopard cub during a morning safari run in Wilpattu. If you want to get a head start to your morning safaris, the Mahoora Tented Safari Camp in Wilpattu is the perfect place to base your exploration of this National Park.