News
No-go zone within Yala to protect its first black beauty
View(s):- Safari drivers demand access to the spot where black leopard cub was spotted,
says their presence protects animals from poachers
By Kasun Warakapitiya
A special security arrangement is being implemented to protect the juvenile black leopard spotted in Yala National Park, a senior Wildlife Department official said.
He said a wildlife team would head to the location where the animal was first sighted by a safari driver (See box story).
Explaining the security measures, the officials said that as an immediate step, the department had declared a three-kilometer-radius temporary no-go zone, encircling the spot where the black leopard (melanistic varient of the Sri Lankan leopard) was seen first. Further protective measures would follow soon, he said.
The animal is five to six months old and has been seen roaming free with its mother. Differences between them are evident like day and night, with the mother sporting black rosettes on yellow skin, while the cub has jet-black rosettes on a dark brown coat.
Wildlife Conservation Department Director Director General Chandana Sooriyabandra said that to enable the animal to acclimatise to the surroundings, he had instructed the officials to halt safari vehicle movements in the area.
“Our people need to have discipline. It is okay if someone posts pictures of various animals they see. But they should not mention the area as it would create a rush to see the animals, and restrict their freedom,” he said.
He said the leopard was safe from poachers as it is inside the wildlife park, but he also acknowledged that it should have the freedom to hunt, eat, drink, and rest and should not constantly be disturbed by safari Jeep operators.
Mr. Sooriyabandara pointed out that there were about five melanocytic leopards in Sri Lanka and this was the first sighting of such a leopard in Yala National park. He added the department’s estimates indicate that there are less than 1,000 leopards in Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lankan leopard or Panthera pardus kotiya — locally referred to as “Kotiya” — is one of the eight subspecies of leopards and endemic to Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan leopard is also the only big cat found in Sri Lanka and also an Apex predator.
Peek wilderness Nature Reserve Wildlife Ranger D.T. Siyasinghe said most of Sri Lanka’s leopards reside in Nuwara Eliya and Adam’s Peak areas, especially in estate lands, tea plantations, woodlands and forest lands.
“As more human activities expand, more sightings of the elusive leopards are made. Apart from that the leopards also fall victim to snares set up by poachers. Even though the snares are targeted for boars, they have killed many leopards including a melanocytic black leopard,” he said.
A spokesman for the Safari Jeep Owners Association said they agreed that the black leopard needed to be protected as it could emerge as a big attraction for foreign tourists and the country could earn more foreign exchange.
“Agree, the park animals need the freedom to roam and they should not be cornered and viewed, but at the same time the department should not deny us the opportunity to view the animals,” he said.
The spokesman said the department, instead of restricting their movements, should focus on poaching going on inside the park. “The department should set up a post near the Jambugala area where poaching is rampant,” he said.
“Poaching is less when more safari vehicles enter the area. The increased presence of safari jeeps, in a way, protect animals. Instead of denying us access to the area where the black leopard was spotted, the department should crack down on off-road races involving VIP vehicles inside the park.
He said that during talks they had with department officials, they were told the restrictions would be lifted by next week.
| Safari driver recalls first encounter Safari Jeep driver Thushara Dilruwan says he is delighted to be the first person to have had a glimpse of the black leopard. He said his first encounter with the animal was accidental, when he parked his jeep at Maha Seelawewa within Yala National Park to allow a group of tourists to view crocodiles, birds and take in the scene. This was on Tuesday February 24. “It was around 7a.m. when I saw a dark shadowy figure on a rock nearby. First, I thought it might be a buffalo but I focused my camera on that dark shadow. After some time, I realised it was a black leopard,” he said. He realised the leopard was a juvenile by its size and its mother was nearby. He explained that he recorded a video of both the adult female leopard and the juvenile black leopard climbing down from the rock. The 28-year-old safari driver, a nine-year veteran, said he alerted the officers at the gate and the research group “Leopard Diary” which is engaged in identifying and studying leopards. Asked why he mentioned the location when he posted pictures on social media, he said he did so to galvanise wildlife authorities into action and take measures to protect the animal. “I also wanted to tell the world that a rare animal had been spotted.” | |
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