IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Kittle, A.M.; Watson, A.C.; Chanaka Kumara, P.H.; Nimalka Sanjeewani, H.K. | |
| Status and distribution of the leopard in the central hills of Sri Lanka | |
| 2014 Cat News (56): 28-31 | |
The Sri Lankan leopard _Panthera pardus kotiya_ is an endangered sub-species and data on its status, distribution and abundance in the island's central hills is lacking. A main objective of this long term study (2003-2011) is to determine these fundamental aspects of leopard ecology in this highly fragmented wet zone region. Here we report results from presence/absence surveys, camera trap surveys initiated to estimate leopard abundance, and trail index surveys comparing relative abundance between two contrasting highland sites, the first a mid-elevation secondary wet zone forest adjacent to a large town (pop. 100 000) and the other a mix of regenerating secondary and primary montane forest adjacent to a large (98 km2) protected area. Results indicate that leopards inhabit a wide variety of landscapes in the region ranging from large intact forest swaths to small (<5 km2), isolated patches of heavily impacted secondary forest. Long term (minimum 6 years) use of small patches by individually identified leopards and repeated cub-rearing confirms residency, highlighting the importance of these seemingly marginal lands. Leopard abundance differs markedly between hill country sites with a higher relative abundance in areas adjacent to large, intact forests than more isolated forest patches. Leopards are using a range of landscapes within the region including established and regenerating forests, plantation lands (e.g. pinus, eucalyptus, tea), and areas in close proximity to human settlement. |
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