Yala and the elusive leopard I never saw

After a great start in Sri Lanka appreciating the country’s history, architecture and marine life, it was time to explore some nature and wildlife. Yala National Park is known to have the highest concentration of leopards in the world.

old trees Yala National Park Sri Lanka

An Asian elephant near a lake with old trees Yala National Park Sri Lanka

Otocryptis Wiegmanni

             Otocryptis Wiegmanni

The Brown-patched Kangaroo lizard (Otocryptis wiegmanni), also called Wiegmann's Agama or Sri Lankan Kangaroo Lizard, is a small, ground dwelling agamid lizard endemic to the wet zone forests and lower mountain forests (up to 1300 metres) of Sri Lanka. It is commonly seen in the leaf litter of shady rain forests. When perceiving danger, it spurts away quickly on its large hind legs and might eventually climb up a sapling or tree. It feeds on small insects, grubs and tender shoots. It is closely related to the Indian Kangaroo Lizard (Otocryptis beddomii) of the rain forests of South India.

Calotes Ceylonensis

The Painted-lipped lizard, or Sri Lanka Bloodsucker, Calotes ceylonensis is a species of lizard in the Agamidae family. It is one of four Calotes species endemic to Sri Lanka.

Daboia

Daboia is a monotypic genus of venomous Old World viper. The single species, D. russelii, is found in Asia throughout the Indian subcontinent, much of Southeast Asia, southern China and Taiwan. The species was named in honor of Patrick Russell (1726–1805), a Scottish herpetologist who first described many of India's snakes; and the name of the genus is from the Hindi word meaning "that lies hid", or "the lurker." Apart from being a member of the big four snakes in India, Daboia is also one of the species responsible for causing the most snakebite incidents and deaths among all venomous snakes on account of many factors, such as their wide distribution, generally aggressive demeanor, and frequent occurrence in highly populated areas. Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.

Daboia are commonly known as Russell's viper and chain viper, among other names.

Indian Cobra

The Indian cobra (Naja naja) also known as the Spectacled cobra, Asian cobra or Binocellate cobra is a species of the genus Naja found in the Indian subcontinent and a member of the "big four", the four species which inflict the most snakebites on humans in India. This snake is revered in Indian mythology and culture, and is often seen with snake charmers. It is now protected in India under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act (

Saltwater Crocodile

The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), also known as saltie, estuarine or Indo-Pacific crocodile, is the largest of all living reptiles, as well as the largest terrestrial and riparian predator in the world. The males of this species can reach sizes of up to 6.7 m (22 ft) and weigh as much as 2,000 kg (4,400 lb). However, an adult male saltwater crocodile is generally between 4.3 and 5.2 m (14 and 17 ft) in length and weighs 400–1,000 kg (880–2,200 lb), rarely growing larger. Females are much smaller and often do not surpass 3 m (9.8 ft). As its name implies, this crocodile can live in salt water, but usually resides in mangrove swamps, estuaries, deltas, lagoons, and lower stretches of rivers. They have the broadest distribution of any modern crocodile, ranging from the eastern coast of India, throughout most of Southeast Asia, stretching south to northern Australia, and historically ranging as far west as just beyond the eastern coast of Africa and as far east as waters off the coast of Japan.

The saltwater crocodile is a formidable and opportunistic hypercarnivorous "apex" ambush predator capable of taking almost any animal that enters its territory, including fish, crustaceans, reptiles, birds and mammals, including other predators. Due to their size and distribution, saltwater crocodiles are the most dangerous extant crocodilian to humans.