When the watcher becomes the watched - the silent thoughts of a Leopard

Someone’s stalking me. This is new. I wonder what I should do. Maybe I should run away.

“Keep calm. You may not be fully grown but you’re a Sri Lankan Leopard and a force to be reckoned with!”

But it’s a human! And, he’s pointing something at me!

“Relax, it’s one of those camera things. It doesn’t do anything. Just drink your water and go. Don’t panic.”

But what if he is trying to steal my kill. I know it’s only a small deer, but I think he wants it. I knew I should have hidden it better.

“He doesn’t want your food. He’s just staring. He’s just one of those weirdos that the older leopards warned you about. They just turn up in those noisy things and then stop and watch us.”

Fun Facts

I wonder what he tastes like. I can pretend to leave and then circle around and leap at his throat and take him out just like I did to that deer. He won’t see me coming!

“You will do no such thing. You just had half a deer.”

I can snuff him out with a whack of my mighty paw.

“You can’t. Not yet anyway. Not until you’re fully grown. Then... wait, I'm supposed to be the voice of reason. No attacking humans! Besides, if you kill a human, you’ll get a bad reputation. Also, stop staring back. It’s rude.”

Fine. It’s time for a nap anyway. But if he follows me and creepily stares at me while I nap on my tree, I’m going to be very cross.

“Just go into the bushes. Your spots will easily camouflage you and then head towards that tree close to the Mahoora Tented Safari Camp. Those people don’t bother anyone.”

Story of the photo

It was late evening at the end of a hotter-than-normal day at Yala National Park when this young leopard turned up for a refreshing sip of water. Gavin’s patience was rewarded when he got this gorgeous shot of the big cat, with what appears to be a paranoid expression on its face.