By Alain Guillemont

For my 4th trip to Sri Lanka, the 2nd with Michel Lejard,

the main target was to look after 2

species missed during the previous visits: Rusty spotted Cat and Fishing Cat.

For that, I asked a Sri Lankan receptive differ

ent from those used during the previous stays:

Bird and Wildlife Team. I didn’t choose them before because their price was much higher than

their colleagues. But after one week with Dulan, our guide, I understood why : a perfect

knowledge of the sites used by the different species and an unfailing availability after a

Night drive from 10pm to 4am, he was still OK for another hour to look after the European

Otter fishing in the pond in front of the reception of our hotel…!!!

The 6 nights with 40 hours of Night drive were shared equally between around Wilpattu

and Sigirya.

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Indian Hare Lepus nigricollis

: Every dayaround Wilpattu and Sigirya

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Sri Lankan Giant Squirrel Ratufa macroura

Near Wilpattu and Sigirya

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Indian Palm Squirrel Funambulus palmarum

Near Wilpattu and Sigirya

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Asiatic Long-tailed Climbing Mouse Vandeleuria oleracea

Near Wilpattu and Sigirya

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Indian Gerbil Tatera indica

Near Wilpattu

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Indian Crested Porcupine Hystrix indica

Near Sigirya

–

Small Indian Civet Viverricula indica

Near Wilapttu and Sigirya

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Asian Palm Civet Paradoxurus hermaphroditus

1 near Sigirya on March 25th

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Golden Dry-Zone Palm Civet Paradoxurus stenocephalus

1 near Wilpattu and 2 near Sigirya

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Jungle Cat Felis chaus

1 or 2 every night around Wilpattu and Sigirya

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Rusty-spotted Cat Felis rubiginosa

Probably 1 on March 24th along a road inside a tall forest near Sigirya, not far from the site where we saw a Fishing Cat

on March 23rd. Another one, with a very good sight, on March 25th at about the same place.

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Fishing Cat Felis viverrina

1 on March 22nd at11pm15 walking at about 4 meters on an embankment in a dry zone near Wilpattu.

1 on March 23rd watching alongside a pond near Sigirya

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Leopard Panthera pardus

1 on March 22nd at 6pm inside Wilpattu National Park

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Indian Grey Mongoose Herpestes edwardsii

1 near Wilpattu and 1 near Sigirya

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Ruddy Mongoose Herpestes smithii

2 times around Wilpattu

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Eurasian Otter Lutra lutra

One fishing in the pool just in front of the reception of Sigirya Village Hotel at night

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Indian Flying-fox Pteropus giganteus

Near Sigirya

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Black-bearded Tom Bat Taphozous melanopogon

In and around Popham Arboretum near Dambulla

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Dekhan Leaf-nosed Bat Hipposideros galeritus

In and around Popham Arboretum

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Schneider’s Leaf -nosed Bat Hipposideros speoris

In and around Popham Arboretum

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Lesser False Vampire Bat

Megaderma spasma

In and around Popham Arboretum

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Great Horse-shoe Bat Rhinolophus beddomei

In and around Popham Arboretum

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Rufous Horse-shoe Bat Rhinolophus rouxii

In and around Popham Arboretum

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Grey Slender Loris Loris lydekkerianus

Every night around Wilpattu and Sigirya

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Toque Macaque Macaca sinica

Common in the site of Sigirya

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Tufted Grey Langur Semnopithecus priam

Seen in and around Wipattu and Sigirya

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Purple -Faced Leaf Monkey Trachypithecus vetulus

Seen at the moat of Sigirya

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Eurasian Wildboar Sus scrofa

Near Wilpattu and Sigirya

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White-striped Chevrotain Moschiola meminna

At night near Wilpattu and Sigirya