The Sri Lanka BLACK LEOPARD

By Risidra Mendis

THEY WERE FIRST SPOTTED in the 1940s and in the 1960s in Yala and in Hiniduma. However there is a possibility that these rare animals known as black leopards may have been spotted by villagers even before the 1940s but not recorded in the country's history.

Black Leopards are considered to be endangered and a rare sighting in the country. However environmentalists and wildlife experts believe the animal still exists in the country after having discovered three carcasses within two years. According to Environment lawyer Jagath Gunewardene the first carcass of a black leopard was found at Weerapana. "There were only pieces of this animal. The second animal's whole skin was found at Kalawana while the third animal was found caught in a snare in Deniyaya," Gunewardene said. The carcass of the black leopard found in Deniyaya was about 2 1/2 feet in height and 6 1/2 feet in length.

According to wildlife experts, the skin of the dead animal seemed to appear black from a distance but on closer inspection was found to have black spots which could be discerned like that of a normal leopard.

Wildlife experts added that this carcass displayed all the features of the Sri Lankan Leopard (Panthera Pardus Kotiya). The carcass was eventually sent to the Kahawatta hospital mortuary for preservation.

BLACK LEOPARD: Even though not much is known about the black leopard in the country in general these melanistic cats are commonly born into mixed litters along with normally coloured siblings in foreign countries.

However former Assistant Wildlife Director Southern Division Childers Jayawardhane and Game Guard K.G. Uparis are two of the more fortunate ones to have actually spotted this rare species.

"Many years ago black leopards were seen in the Yala jungles and it is quite possible that the progeny of the melanin gene animal is still found in the Yala group of reserves. In 1951, when I was a trainee Game Ranger at Yala, Uparis, an old timer and jungle enthusiast to Yala, related to me his experience of seeing a black leopard near Banawalkema in the Yala North Intermediate Zone, (YNIZ)(Present Yala National Park block III, then, a shooting block)," Jayawardhane said.

According to Jayawardhane, in 1948, Uparis was assigned to supervise the clearing of the boundary track from Rugamtota to Kalugaltota, separating the Yala Strict Natural Reserve (SNR) from YNIZ. Uparis and the contractor had pitched camp at Banawaltota.

One morning Uparis loaded a buck shot cartridge to his shot gun and walked a short distance along the cleared track from the camp to shoot some jungle fowl, when he came upon a black leopard, behind a bush intently looking in the direction of a herd of spotted deer grazing in a small glade. He was surprised to see such a specimen and stopped in his stride. Somehow this attracted the animal's attention, which looked at Uparis, stared and snarled at him, looked again at the deer and began belly crawling, towards the herd.

Uparis being alone and unwilling to confront or disturb a hungry leopard with buck shot, made his way backwards slowly and got away from its presence," Jayawardhane explained.

Jayawardhane added that this region where the black leopard was spotted is in the Dry Zone and the vegetation is of a high closed canopy with a few open glades, ridges and outcrops with rock pools.

"Many years later (almost 30 years) when I was in charge of the entire Yala Group of National Reserves, I had the opportunity of travelling many a time through this same region, where the black leopard was seen and approximately four miles away from Banawalkema at Godawalipokuna (Mahawewa) in the linch to one map (topographic map). I was fortunate to see a black leopard crossing the jeep track ahead of the vehicle and move away into the forest," Jayawardhane said.

Gunewardene says for the past 12 to 13 years he has been following the trail of the black leopard. "This could be an unknown sub-species of the leopard or an unknown species of the cat family. Villagers claim to have spotted the black leopard in the wet zone around Sinharaja. In 1966 at an estate in Hiniduma two black leopard cubs were spotted. Some people even claim to have eaten this animal's flesh. The black leopard differs from the normal leopard as its paws and head shape is different and the animal's overall length is smaller than the leopard," Gunewardene explained.

He added that the carcass of the black leopard found in Deniyaya was identified as a female and one that had given birth to young. "These animals are nocturnal and very shy, hence its rare sightings. The flesh of the black leopard when killed by villagers is eaten and the skin burnt, which is the reason why there are no records of these animals been recorded in the country. Not much is known about the animal or its life span," Gunawardene said.

The leopard has almost 30 different species on which it feeds on a regular basis. The leopard will eat anything from medium-sized antelopes to the young of larger species along with hares, birds and other small carnivores. When necessary, it will also kill domesticated animals.

The leopard spends most of the day sleeping in large trees and becomes quite active shortly after dusk. It will continue hunting until shortly after dawn. Some leopards will travel as far as 25 km a night and almost never spend the night or day in the same place twice.

The leopard is a solitary cat which means that it hunts, eats, sleeps and lives alone. Leopards will only associate together long enough to mate and then split apart as quickly as possible. Females and males have overlapping home ranges which seems to work out quite well, especially in national parks.

Among leopards, black individuals are very common in tropical Asian rain forests, where the dark colour may be an advantage in the murky dim light that reaches the forest floor. Up to half of the leopards in Java and nearly all of the leopards in Malaysia are black but black individuals are rare elsewhere. Black leopards are found in the Aberdare Mountains of Kenya, which are covered by fairly humid forest, but are rare in the African savannah habitats.

This large cat is sometimes confused with the South American Jaguar, as their spots are similar, even though the jaguars' spots are larger and have internal spots in them.

In cats, melanism results in the fur of the animal being very dark or black in colour.

In many cases the usual markings of the animal can be faintly seen through the dark fur, especially at certain angles in bright sunlight.

Even though not much is known about the black leopard in the country in general these melanistic (derived from melanin, a dark coloured skin and hair pigment) cats are commonly born into mixed litters along with normally coloured siblings in foreign countries. Black leopards are actually born to spotted parents and the cubs are dark brown with the same pattern of black spots as other leopards have.

They are graceful and stealthy and are probably the most accomplished stalkers among all big cats. They are agile climbers and can descend from a tree headfirst. Leopards are strong swimmers but not as fond of water as tigers. These cats are capable of sneaking right up next to the prey before being spotted, almost appearing from nowhere.

Hearing and eyesight are the strongest of these cats' senses and are extremely acute.

When making a threat, leopards stretch their backs, depress their ribcages between their shoulder blades so they stick out, and lower their heads (much like our domestic cats).

The pregnant females find a cave, crevice among boulders, hollow tree, or thicket to give birth and make a den. The cubs once born open their eyes after a period of 10 days. The fur of the young tends to be longer and thicker than that of adults. After around three months the infants begin to follow their mother out on hunts. At one year of age leopard young can probably fend for themselves but they remain with their mother for 18 to 24 months.

Male leopards weigh between 80 to 198 pounds and females weigh between 60 to 130 pounds. The expected lifespan in the wild of a black leopard is seven to 12 years, and in captivity 20 to 23 years.

This animal is found more frequently in densely forested areas where being darker is beneficial in remaining unseen as compared to open areas.

The leopards' colouration is extremely effective and scientists have been unable to spot these cats just a few yards away even while knowing that they were present.
