IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Kittle, A.; Watson, A. | |
| Report on the status and distribution of the Sri Lankan leopard (_Panthera pardus kotiya_) for the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) | |
| Full Book | |
The leopard (_Panthera pardus kotiya_) is the largest of four wild cat species recorded in Sri Lanka where it is the island's only big cat and its top predator. This population has evolved geographically separated from the mainland species _Panthera pardus fusca_ and is now recognized as one of the nine subspecies of _Panthera pardus_ currently extant in the world. While leopards are considered endangered and listed on CITES Appendix I throughout their Asiatic range, this isolation and subsequent sub species designation underlines the precarious status of this island leopard. The leopard has historically been found in all habitats throughout the island. today, approximately 12% of the country is protected as National Parks while 20% remains forested. Resident populations are still extant in all major climatic zones throughout the country. The exception to this is the more developed and highly populated areas of the western wet zone. While it is expected that populations exist in the north, where a significant expanse of dry zone forest remains in the Wanni jungles, this area has not been investigated due to the ongoing civil conflict. Currently, no numbers are known for the total island leopard population. |
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