Sri Lankan Leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya)

The Sri Lankan Leopard is an endemic subspecies found only on the island of Sri Lanka, making it one of the most genetically distinct leopard populations in the world. Classified as Endangered by the IUCN Red List, the population is estimated at fewer than 800 individuals, threatened by habitat loss, human–wildlife conflict, and poaching.

This subspecies inhabits a range of ecosystems — from the dense montane cloud forests of the Central Highlands to the lowland dry-zone scrublands of Yala and Wilpattu National Parks. Larger and paler than its Indian counterpart, the Sri Lankan Leopard is the apex predator of the island and plays a critical role in regulating prey populations. Conservation efforts focus on corridor protection between fragmented forest patches and community-based coexistence programmes in buffer zones.