Spot-billed pelicans of Asia

Missed these pelicans at Laem Pak Bia in Oct 2012 and was glad to finally get to see them in Sri Lanka.  

Spot-billed pelicans or grey pelicans are found in Asia. As their common name suggests, these pelicans possess a spotted bill; the throat pouch is also spotted in appearance. 

lone individual in a lake

The wild goose chase

The main reason to Sri Lanka's famed Yala National Park was the hope of photographing the Sri Lankan leopard. The Sri Lankan leopard is native to Sri Lanka, and is one of eight sub-species of leopards.

Yala is the most visited and second larges national park in Sri Lanka, and is touted to have the highest population of leopards. However, the Sri Lankan leopard is still classified as endangered by IUCN. This is because the population is declining due to threats such as poaching to human-leopard conflict.

Yala, Block 1 entrance