For as long as I can remember I was fascinated by Gorillas. Their power, majesty and human-like behavior, and gentle nature were something I was in awe of, and I dreamt of one-day coming face to face with them, especially a big Silverback (term used for a mature male gorilla whose hair on his back turns silver-grey as he ...
The misty highland wilderness of Horton Plains National Park has been part of my life from way back when I was an infant when my parents took me as at 3 months old to this amazing cloud forest haven. Since then I have made this my second home and have travelled there extensively throughout my life. From catching a train ...
This is the story of Tim, the most famous African elephant in recent memory. He was the most impressive elephant I have ever encountered in the years of travels in the wilds, and will always be my favorite and most memorable. Tim’s life began in the savannah’s and swamps of Amboseli National Park in Kenya, East Africa. He was estimated ...
Sri Lanka undoubtedly is the land of the leopard. This is one of the few places in the world where the leopard can claim the moniker of the apex predator of the wilderness. In other continents and countries such as India or Africa, the leopard needs to compete with larger and more formidable predators such as lions, tigers, and even ...
What is a tusker and why are they so special in Sri Lanka? This is a question many people asked me over the years. The truth is that no only the fact that only 7% of the male elephants in Sri Lanka carries tusks, which makes them so rare and special, but the aura and behavior of a tusker ...
Around 7 years ago , I got news of a female leopard with some cubs being sighted in Udawalawe National Park. This park is more famous for its elephants, and seeing a leopard is an absolute rarity. The chance of seeing one would be a great opportunity, and hence myself and my friend Hamid decided to go on a day ...
I had just graduated from my degree, and I was aimless at home. I was looking out for jobs, but there were few and far between.My father told me he is going to Yala with one of his closest friends Uncle Stefan, and I jumped at the idea and asked if I could tag along.The journey began from Colombo, and ...
The Jungle Cat, one of the most elusive and rare felines found on the island. Very few people are even aware of its existence, and yet they are found in most parts of rural Sri Lanka.At first glance , you might mistake it for a normal house cat, but looking closer you will notice, its taller and long legged, as ...
Yala or Ruhunu National Park is the most famous Safari destination in Sri Lanka. The park was out of bounds for a few years due to a terrorist attack in 1996, therefore even after Yala was re opened to the public the school did not want take any risks by taking young school chindren into a place with another possible ...
I will never forget the first meeting of the Wildlife Society which I attended in 1997. I was the youngest member, and all the other boys were seniors in their late teens. This did not hold me back and I signed up for the first trip of the year, which was a 5 day camping excursion to Udawalawe. The cost ...
Horton Plains is a place which is close to my heart and arguably would be my favorite place in the world. The land of mist and rain, of rolling green hills and dark cold forests. This is one place which always held a mystery with it, and an emotion hard to describe. I have been travelling to this park since ...
The Sad and tragic story of Wasantha, dates back to 2003. I was the president of the S.Thomas College wildlife society, this was the time of the peace talks between the government and the LTTE. Wilpattu had been closed for many years due to the war, and finally opened up in 2003 during these peace talks. The park was not ...
Sando , the name alone brings shivers to anyone who has encountered him. He is the most dominant and aggressive tusker in Yala National Park. So aggressive, hes single handedly responsible for ramming many safari jeeps and chasing down even more. He is said to be responsible for brutally attacking other bull elephants including Gemunu the famous tusker of Yala. ...
Many a time, one would ask a wildlife enthusiast, “Why even bother to go again and again into the same parks and try and find the same animals over and over again?”This is a question, which cannot be answered logically. The reason being that those with a genuine yearning for a wilds have several motivations all combined into one. Firstly, ...
Imagine seeing an animal who almost looks like a prehistoric dinosaur, and too unreal to be a living breathing creature? This is what most people feel when they encounter a Great Indian One Horned Rhinoceroses. These legendary beasts are straight out of a story book, with skin looking like armor plating it was one of the most unusual and unique ...
Nagarhole National Park, popularly known as Kabini due to the Kabini River, is a very popular wildlife destination in India, and famed for its sightings of a rare individual leopard with Melanism, also known commonly as a Black Panther or Black Leopard.I organized a tour to visit this park in December 2019, and along with a group of 10 clients, ...
Tigers in my opinion are the most beautiful big cats in the world and one of the most enigmatic animal species to have ever lived. The true might and majesty of the tiger is something to behold. Seeing a tiger in the wild and coming face to face with one is a humbling experience. I was privileged to have my ...
Lions in India, somehow sounds a strange phrase, as if it doesn’t match or make sense. But the reality is, there are wild lions in India, and no they were not introduced, rather they have been roaming wild for thousands of years. The Asiatic Lion, a unique subspecies are the rulers of the wild kingdom of West India. Historically, these ...
On the 17th of April , myself and a group I organized through Classic Travel, departed on a memorable wildlife adventure to the heart of India , in the hopes of coming face to face with the most majestic cat in the world, the Royal Bengal Tiger. We met up early morning at Classic Travel Head Quarters and left together ...
In Sri Lanka the term tusker is synonymous with any male elephant carrying ivory, be it large or small. Seeing a tusker in Sri Lanka is indeed a rarity, as only a small percentage of males on the island carry the genes to produce tusks. But in the continent of Africa it is very different, as the African Elephant, in ...
