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Everything you need to know about seeing Asiatic leopards in the wild

Although Asiatic leopards remain elusive in the parks of India and Sri Lanka, due to the lack of other dominant predators leopards are easier to spot hunting their prey in Asia than their African counterparts. Early morning game drives provide the perfect setting to see these big cats slinking through the bush at dawn.

Yala National Park in Sri Lanka is thought to have the highest density of leopard populations anywhere in the world yet they are still considered near threatened by the IUCN.

Noel Rodrigo’s Leopard Safari Camp is a fantastic place to stay to see these big cats in Yala National Park.

asiatic leopard safari gallery

Leopards in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is home to the highest leopard population, and is the best place to see them on safari due to lack of predators. You'll find them in Yala.

Explore Yala National Park

Confident cats

With no fear of humans and a lack of other predators, leopards in Sri Lanka will often be undeterred by the presence of your safari vehicle.

View our leopard safaris

Experts view: Arabella Worthington

In India the best time to see the leopard is November to June and sightings in Sri Lanka can be fantastic between March and October.

the Asiatic leopard

Similarly to African leopards, Asian leopards have short legs and stocky bodies which gives them a low centre of gravity and allows them to slink through grasslands relatively unseen. Leopard tails are usually longer than half their body length offering a great sense of balance when climbing and eating in trees. Male Asiatic leopards are said to be approximately 30% larger than their female counterparts and live apart as solitary creatures.

The colouring of Asiatic leopard coats vary from straw yellow to pale brown tones which helps them blend into the background of the national park landscapes. As with African leopards they have clear rosette markings and black spots in places.

As leopards are generally nocturnal creatures they can be seen hunting at dusk and dawn or just relaxing in the late afternoon sunshine.

Asiatic leopard facts

CONSERVATION STATUS Asiatic leopards are generally considered Near Threatened but the Sri Lankan subspecies is classified as Endangered due to hunting and habitat loss.

HABITAT Asiatic leopards can be arboreal, living in trees, but also reside in bushland or rocky landscapes.

LENGTH Female Asiatic leopards average 6 feet in length while males can grow up to 8 foot in length from head to tail.

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