Density of leopards (Panthera pardus kotiya) in Horton Plains National Park in the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka

Researchers have determined that the density of leopards (Panthera pardus kotiya) in Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka, is approximately 11.7 adult individuals per 100 km², marking the first robust estimate for this species in Sri Lanka's montane zone. This finding provides critical baseline data for managing the endangered, endemic Sri Lankan leopard population. The study employed remote cameras within a spatially explicit capture-recapture framework to estimate leopard density and distance sampling to assess prey availability. Notably, sambar density was found to be 178 individuals per km² in central grasslands, highlighting these areas as key resources for both sambar and leopards.

Kittle, A. M., & Watson, A. C. (2017). Density of leopards (Panthera pardus kotiya) in Horton Plains National Park in the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka. Mammalia, 82(2), 183–187. https://doi.org/10.1515/mammalia-2016-0139