Dog not used as leopard bait, says Conservation Biologist

Colombo, Feb 04 (Daily Mirror) - Referring to a recent report claiming that a dog was used as bait to lure leopards for photography purposes in the Wilpattu National Park, Conservation Biologist Ranil Nanayakkara vehemently denied the accusations, calling them “fabricated stories.”

The controversy began after reports emerged suggesting that the dog, which had been roaming freely around the park, was deliberately placed in harm’s way to attract leopards for tourists to photograph.

This theory was further fuelled by the dog’s appearance in videos, where it was seen interacting with a leopard. Some suggested that the dog was being used to provoke a leopard encounter.

However, Nanayakkara, who has extensive field experience in Wilpattu, explains that the dog in question is not a stray being used for such purposes. The dog, he notes, had no owner after its previous master was tragically killed by a wild elephant many years ago.

“This dog has been wandering around the periphery of the park for a long time,” Nanayakkara says, explaining that it is not an unusual sight in the area. “The dog moves around the villages near the park, searching for food, and it freely enters the park without anyone bringing it in.”

He also pointed out that to use a dog as bait for a leopard would be logistically impossible. “You can't just take a dog into the park through the wildlife department checkpoint and leave it to wander. The Wildlife Department would never allow such an unethical act to happen,” Nanayakkara added, stressing that the idea of using the dog as bait for leopards is not only false but also highly implausible.

Nanayakkara further explained that leopards, particularly in areas like Wilpattu, are not easily predictable in their movements. “If someone were trying to lure a leopard, they’d have to ensure the dog is tightly secured in one place, which is not the case here,” he clarified. "The dog was seen walking freely, which is what it typically does."

“I’ve been working here for over 15 years, and I can assure you that no jeep driver or wildlife enthusiast would engage in such an unethical practice,” Nanayakkara added. "It’s just a dog trying to survive, and some people are making a mountain out of a molehill."

The conservation biologist also criticised the way the situation has been sensationalised. “People are always quick to create stories without understanding the real dynamics. The idea that this dog was brought in for photography purposes or to bait leopards is simply not true.” he reiterated