IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Kittle, A.M.; Watson, A. | |
| A short report on research of an arid zone leopard population (_Panthera pardus kotiya_), Ruhuna (Yala) National Park, Sri Lanka | |
| Full Book | |
In general the leopards inhabiting our study site within Block I of Ruhuna (Yala) National Park were similar in structure, diet range and social behaviour to populations encountered elsewhere in the world. The managed conditions of this arid zone ecosystem have allowed for a high population density as well as perhaps being partially responsible for the reduced incidences of stashing carcasses in trees. It is in fact interesting that leopard behaviour and societal structure are so in-keeping with the norm of the species in a wider context, as the Sri Lankan sub-species _Panthera pardus kotiya_ is unique among leopards in that it has evolved in the absence of any large carnivore competition. Therefore it appears that the intrinsic life-history attributes of the species are forceful in determining population structures and functions across habitat types and circumstances. Evidence of this is the fact that the study area appears to have the capacity to hold more leopards if measured strictly by the prey base, water sources, potential den sites and lack of large carnivore competition (ittle & Watson 2002). However, as it is not simply the carrying capacity of the ecosystem that is acting on the leopard population, but also internal mechanisms that seem to be responsible for determining such factors as home range size, resident sex ratio maintenance and reproductive activity, the equilibrium that has been achieved appears to be below the mathematically determined carrying capacity. |
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