Human Leopard ConflictsMany of you would recall the recent episode in the news where a leopard fell through a roof while chasing a dog, and got trapped in a home on Logie Estate, in Talawakelle. It was tranquilized and released back into the wild, thanks to the successful collaboration between the estate employees, and officers of the Department of Wildlife Conservation.

The owner of that house suffered damage to the belongings that were in the room that the leopard was trapped in, as it thrashed around in fear and desperation to get out. A bed, Electric items and some glassware bore the brunt of the commotion. While aware that the DWC has compensation mechanisms in place to pay for such damage, the WNPS decided to make immediate recompense for the items damaged as time was of the essence to the family. All items were fully replaced within days, and the money was well spent on a deserving family, and in a manner which would encourage local initiatives and tolerance, to protect these precious leopards in Sri Lanka. Sadly, not all stories end so positively these days, but this one certainly was cause for much joy.