Episode 11 – Adams Peak Wilderness Reserve

The Black Leopard

When I was first assigned to the ‘Nallathanni’ wildlife sanctuary as a Ranger, I found the mountainous setting and the cold climate a rather pleasant retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city. Tea plantations were situated along the border of the Nallathanni forest, with tea plucking being the major source of income for the residents of the area – workers would start plucking tea leaves at the crack of dawn and would go on until dusk, when it was finally time to head home.

The abundance of people also meant the abundance of dogs, domesticated as well as strays. Along with the obvious benefits incurred by having man’s best friend close to one’s side, this also comes at a heavy price –theattention of the Sri Lankan leopard. Although leopards aren’t the only wild predators in the area, which is also home to fishing cats and rusty-spotted cats, leopards pose the most dangerous threat. The big cats of the forest cannot resist the easy prey of a dog, whose size and speed are no match for the jungle’s apex predator.

It is not uncommon to hear stories of people having to ward off leopards to rescue their beloved pets, with some situations involving a physical altercation with the beast. As expected, the people harbored an aversion to the leopards and continuously set up traps, which us wildlife officials had to disarm due to the high frequency of animals sustaining severe injuries from crudely built traps. Therefore, we thought it was high time we conducted several awareness programs in the area, educating the populace on leopards and how to protect themselves without hurting these beautiful creatures. A few uneventful days following the completion of an awareness session, we received a report of a sighting of a rare black leopard in the area. We promptly alerted the veterinary unit of the Department and got acquainted with Dr. Malaka, who had been studying the leopard and had a keenerawareness of its comings and goings.As soon as news of the nextconfirmed sighting hit, we were all planned and prepped to go.

Then, as fate would have it, the COVID-19 pandemic hit Sri Lanka two months into 2020, and the consequent health protocols warranted strict restrictions to the number of people working in the Department.With limited staff, our task of tuning into news of the elusive black leopard was made very difficult. But despite the quarantine protocols, far from the urban setting,life for the villagers continued as it always has, with the daily task of tea harvestinggoing on with seldom interruptions.With the residents frustrated withthe slow responsefrom authorities to their plight, there were those who were always on the lookout to trap the rare feline, and it became a race against time as to who would get their hands on the big cat first. This tense period went on, until the 20^th of May at around 9.45 am.when we heard what we were dreading to hear. The black leopard was finally caught.

Immediately, we were on our way to the to the scene and arrived thirty minutes later to see a crowed huddled together.Hastily calling the onlookers to disperse, I waded through the crowd tolay eyes upon the spectacle only to have my worst fears confirmed.It was a rather pitiful situation to witness. The trap had ensnared the cat’s neck, and it was roaring in fear and anguish and desperation;flailing helplessly with the snare stubbornly showing no sign of even the slightest budge – it seemed the more it struggled, the more pathetic itspredicament became. The chokehold got tighter and tighter, as evidenced by its raspy breaths, and bulging terror-stricken eyes. The snare cut deeper into its skin, giving its black coat a maroon tinge. The metallic odor of blood stung the air, and itspleading cries drowned out all external noise.

With great trepidation and the utmost care, we managed to reach out towards the now tiring beast, and with the aid of a long, sturdy tree branch, managed to lodge it in a secure position to hold the animal down just long enough for us to reach down and loosen the snare’s gripto drive another wedge between the wire and neck. It seemed to take forever, but with great effort, we managed to apply the necessary leverage to finally free-up the neck and lessen the burden on the creature. By the time we were done,the Head Ranger, Mr. Siyasinghe, had arrived on the scene along with Dr. Malaka and another veterinary surgeon, Dr. Akalanka, and several aides. With no time to lose, the veterinarians went to work on the leopard immediately by anaesthetizing the beast so that we can safely remove the entire trap to liberate the now motionless cat.

By the time we managed to load the animal into a crate to be moved for further treatment, it was well into the afternoon. With the animal in a secure location, the necessary remedies were administered and by around 9.00 pm. the veterinarians were satisfied with the situation and deemedthe big catto be in a stable condition. The leopard was again moved to the ‘Udawalawe’ veterinary unit for further treatment.Only time could now tell just how well theleopard responded to the medication. With continuous care, the cat was able to cling to life for four days, before finally succumbing to its wounds. The reason for death was declared to be from a hemorrhage it suffered while ensnared in the trap.

I, along with all my colleagues was upset with the situation. The entire visceral ordeal is still engrained in me, and I doubtthe memory of it will leave anytime soon. Being a true and tested Ranger, it is still hard to come to terms with the fact that despite our best efforts, we still fell short of saving the life of one of Sri Lanka’s most precious creatures. Even though we never found the perpetrators responsible for the cruel trap, the authorities are still on the lookout and the case is still open. As wildlife officials on the frontline in the human-animal conflict, we hope to arrive at a solution to appease both the frustrated residents protecting themselves and theanimals driven to forage near human settlements becausetheir territory is continuouslybeing receded due to human activity.

To look back at the history of the Sri Lankan leopard is to look back at the history of Sri Lanka. With documented instances of leopards even being adopted as pets by Sri Lankan royalty, it truly is amazing to reflect on how our stories are entwined.