[Lolu = Glue berry/Indian cherry (Cordia dichotoma), Gas = Tree, Wala = Waterhole]
Lōlugas Wala 4:3 male was first seen in November 2018 as a very young cub with his brother, the Lolugas Wala 2:2 male, and sister, the Lolugas Wala 3:4 female. Their mother is the Siyambalagas Wala 3:3 female and this was her fourth known litter.
They were seen as a family around Ūraniya Road, Debaragas Wala, Lōlugas Wala, Palugas Wala 1&2, Siyambalagas Wala, Welmalkema, and Kotigala.
By January 2020, this male had a wound on the left side of his neck but he recovered quickly. By mid-2020, he started to explore new areas that were away from his mother’s territory.
This male was seen at Gōnagala Wewa in September 2020 and he moved back to Kotigala in October 2020. On the 20th of October, there was a sighting of this male together with the dominant Weli Āra 2:2 male, on Kotigala. It was interesting to observe the dominant Weli Āra 2:2 male tolerating this young male in close proximity.
He returned to Gōnagala Wewa again in November and December 2020. This male was seen several times around the Idhdha Gala area with the dominant Rathmal Wala 4:5 male and once with the Padi Kema 3:3 male as well. In the first half of 2021, he was mostly seen around the Galalukada Wewa and Sathmaga areas.
Then he started to move North of Yala Block 1. And he ended up around the Modharagala area by mid-2021. From time to time he was seen around Modharagala, Y – Junction, Thalgasmankada, Kotabendhi Wewa, and Koma Wewa areas. Once he had a tense encounter with the dominant but old male Medha Para 2:3 male (aka ‘J’) at Modharagala. Since early 2022 from time to time he was seen mating with two young females in the area Divul Kaele 2:2 female and Agil Wala 2:2 female. In August 2022 this male was seen with a new female in block 1, around Thalgasmankada and Pan Wala area. Again in October 2022, he was seen mating with one of the old females the Thalgasmankada 2:3 female (who came back to her original territory after a long time).
In December 2022, this male was seen engaging closely with the Kohomba-kema leopard family (Y – Junction 2:2 female and her 2021 litter of three cubs) in the Modharaga area, providing us with a rare opportunity to see five leopards in the same frame. ( a leap of leopards). In February 2023 he was seen mating with Warahana 2:2 female around Y-junction and Modharagala areas.
Within the year 2023 he was trying to expand his evergrowing territory. Between 2022 and 2023, he was expanding his territory faster than we anticipated. By the end of 2023 Lolugas Wala male was ruling over the territory of Koma Wewa, Ehalagas Wala, Kotabedhi Wewa, Thalgasmakada, Modhara Gala, Y junction and Warahana, Galmandiya and Pemdaswila areas. There is no doubt that he is the new king of the North.
He has been walking with a limp since February 2024, and by April 2024, he appears to be recovering.
Yala Leopard Diary database – https://yalaleoparddiary.com/identified-leopard-result/YM44 https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.627707671252084&type=3
