• ‘Leopard Tales 2.0’ opens in Galle today

The Sri Lankan leopard is a species that is a prime subject of conservation talk as well as wildlife photography. The majestic creature is one that many hope to see during visits to Sri Lanka’s wildlife parks, but is also one that faces many threats.

This makes awareness about the Sri Lankan leopard vital and it is what Leopard Tales aimed to do. Held in Colombo in May 2024, Leopard Tales featured the work of some of the best Sri Lankan wildlife photographers. Now, the exhibition is returning, with Leopard Tales 2.0 opening in Galle today (6).

The exhibition is being held by the Department of National Museums in collaboration with the Yala Leopard Centre and Sri Lanka’s finest wildlife photographers. It will be held until 9 February at the Maritime Museum in Galle Fort, alongside the Galle Literary Festival.

The exhibition will showcase a collection of photographs by Dushyantha Silva, Milinda Wattegedara, Mevan Piyasena, Raveendra Siriwardene, Senuri Premaratna, Viraj Weerasooriya, Tharindu Sendanayake, Kusal Fonseka, Sasindu Hewage, Nethmi Wimalasiri, and Saman Abeygunawardane.

Giving us more insight on the exhibition and its importance was Premaratna, who spoke about the response the first exhibition received, the importance of collaboration, and the collection showcased at Leopard Tales 2.0.

Following are excerpts from the interview:

Tell us about Leopard Tales 2.0 and the collection that will be showcased.

Leopard Tales 2.0 is a photographic exhibition that will showcase the majestic Sri Lankan leopard. It will take its viewers across a journey of the leopards in Yala National Park, Wilpattu National Park, Kumana National Park, and Horton Plains.

This carefully curated collection of photographs has been put together by photographers that have a passion towards protecting and conserving this apex predator. The collection of photographs displays the behaviour and lifestyle of the Sri Lankan leopard while also highlighting the importance of conservation.

What are the objectives of Leopard Tales 2.0?

Learning to appreciate the beauty of the leopard, educating the public on leopard identification and behaviour, and most importantly, the value of protecting and conservation when it comes to the elusive leopard.

Why did you want to draw focus to this particular species? What threats or dangers do Sri Lankan leopards face and why is awareness about conservation important?

The Sri Lankan leopard is the apex predator of Sri Lanka and it’s not new information that we have hundreds and thousands of tourists flying in to see this animal. There are many threats that this animal faces, and almost all of them are due to our actions. Poaching, deforestation of the buffer zones, and lack of awareness are just a few of these reasons.

The highland leopards are majorly threatened by illegal snares. It is important that we raise awareness and highlight the importance of protecting this animal to prevent extinction and encourage responsible tourism at all times.

Are there additions to the collection showcased last year?

Leopard Tales 2.0 will showcase a larger collection of photographs of leopards right around Sri Lanka. We will present our studies and findings that we believe are important for the conservation of this animal.

The exhibition will be held in Galle. Why did the team want to take the exhibition out of Colombo?

As a team of researchers and keen conservationists, we believe in expanding our knowledge and findings right across the country. The Galle Literary Festival provided the best opportunity for us to do this. We also look forward to expanding and branching out to more locations as we work towards protecting this majestic animal.

Why is it important that such initiatives move out of Colombo and reach people in various parts of the island?

An animal like the Sri Lankan leopard is a national jewel. We all reap its benefits. Knowledge is something that shouldn’t be restricted to a certain area. It’s something that should be embraced by everyone with no geographical limit. We believe that everyone should be given the opportunity to learn about the leopard, its behaviour, and most importantly, the value of conserving and protecting it.

As a collective, we believe that getting more people interested in the topic of the Sri Lankan leopard and the conservation aspect of this animal is very important. So, one reason why we have this exhibition is also to create interest by showcasing this magnificent animal so that to some effect more people are interested about leopards and in return there will be more focus on conservation.

The exhibition is a collaboration between the Department of National Museums, Yala Leopard Centre, and wildlife photographers. What was it like collaborating with different groups?

Firstly, we would like to extend our gratitude and appreciation to the Department of National Museums for giving us this golden opportunity. The support given by them has been incredible right along this journey. Collaborating with the Yala Leopard Centre and all these amazing and talented photographs has been an incredible experience.

Yala Leopard Centre is the world’s first Information centre dedicated to leopards and the only information centre on Sri Lankan leopards. Everyone has shared their knowledge, findings, and personal adventures and it’s been an enlightening and incredible experience for all of us to work with people who have a common objective: Protecting the Sri Lankan leopard.

Why are such collaborations important and how can they strengthen efforts to raise awareness?

As the saying goes: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Coming together with so many people to make this exhibition become a reality has been amazing. We have collectively expanded each other’s knowledge and put all our findings together to build a better platform for the Sri Lankan leopard, so we can collectively raise awareness on a larger scale. We strongly believe that getting more people interested in the subject of the Sri Lankan leopard would increase conservation.

How do you plan to continue this work after ‘Leopard Tales 2.0’?

The first exhibition that we had in Colombo was beyond successful. We had amazing support from the Department of National Museums and had an amazing turnout of viewers. We believe that every individual that came for the exhibition left with a new appreciation and understanding of the Sri Lankan leopard. As a team, we look forward to taking this exhibition to further parts of Sri Lanka while raising awareness and knowledge amongst all our communities.