Quick answer
Yala's trackers find animals by reading pugmarks and other tracks in the dust, and by listening for alarm calls from spotted deer, langurs, barking deer and birds. Fresh leopard pugmarks on a morning track show a cat passed after the night's dust settled. A spotted deer's shrill call, a langur's harsh cough or a herd staring at one spot often means a leopard is close. Stopping, switching off and listening is usually more productive than driving fast.
Key takeaways
- Leopard pugmarks in Yala show four toes with no claw marks, because leopards retract their claws as they walk.
- Fresh tracks on Yala's dusty roads at dawn show which animals have crossed since the night, which guides the morning drive.
- Spotted deer give a shrill, repeated alarm call when they see a leopard, and herds often stare in its direction.
- Tufted grey langurs give a harsh, coughing alarm call from trees and are among the most reliable leopard detectors in Yala.
- Waiting quietly with the engine off at a promising spot often finds more in Yala than racing between radio reports.
Why signs matter more than speed in Yala
Yala's leopards spend much of their time hidden in scrub, and sightings often come from reading signs rather than spotting the cat directly. The best trackers piece together clues from tracks, scrapes, scat and alarm calls to work out where an animal is and where it is going.
A jeep racing between radio reports may reach a sighting, but it will find it surrounded by other jeeps. A jeep that reads the signs often finds its own animal, and gets it alone.
Reading pugmarks and tracks in Yala
Yala's sandy tracks hold prints well, especially in the early morning before vehicles have driven over them. Leopard pugmarks show four toes and a three-lobed pad, with no claw marks, because leopards retract their claws as they walk. Fresh prints have sharp edges; older ones are blurred by wind and other tracks.
Other prints are easy to learn. Elephant tracks are huge and round, deer leave paired split hooves, boar leave smaller split hooves with dew claws, and sloth bear prints look strangely human. A tracker who stops to look at the ground is doing their job.
- →Leopard: four toes, three-lobed pad, no claw marks.
- →Elephant: large, round prints, often in lines.
- →Spotted deer: paired, pointed split hooves.
- →Sloth bear: long claws, an oddly human-shaped print.
Scrapes, scat and other signs
Leopards mark territory with scrapes, made by scuffing the ground with their hind feet, and with scent sprayed on bushes and rocks. Scat left on prominent places along tracks is another marker. Claw marks on tree bark show where a cat sharpens its claws or climbs.
Other animals leave signs too. Elephant dung and broken branches show where a herd has fed, termite mounds dug open show a sloth bear has been at work, and vultures or crows gathering may mean a kill.
Alarm calls: the park's warning system
When prey animals in Yala see a predator, they warn each other. Spotted deer give a shrill, repeated call and stamp their feet, often staring towards the danger. Sambar honk, barking deer bark, and tufted grey langurs give a harsh cough from the trees, often the most reliable sign of all.
Birds join in too. Junglefowl cackle, peafowl call loudly and small birds mob a resting predator. When several alarm calls start at once from the same direction, a good driver stops, switches off and waits.
- →Spotted deer: a shrill, repeated call, with heads turned towards the danger.
- →Tufted grey langur: a harsh cough from the trees.
- →Barking deer: a sharp, dog-like bark.
- →Sambar: a loud honk.
- →Junglefowl and peafowl: loud, agitated calls.
Learning to read Yala on your first drive
Most trackers are happy to teach if asked. Ask your tracker to point out tracks when the jeep stops, to explain alarm calls when they start, and to tell you what they think is happening. Within a drive or two you will start hearing the calls and spotting the prints yourself.
Lankan Stays & Trails asks drivers to stop and listen when the alarm calls start, rather than chase radio reports across the park. It makes for quieter, slower and often better drives.
- →Ask your tracker to show you prints.
- →Listen for alarm calls when the engine is off.
- →Watch where deer are looking.
- →Be patient: a good spot is worth waiting at.
Frequently asked questions
How do trackers find leopards in Yala?
Yala's trackers read fresh pugmarks in the dust, scrapes and scat along the tracks, and listen for alarm calls from spotted deer, langurs and birds. They combine those clues with knowledge of each leopard's territory. Radio reports from other jeeps also play a part.
What does a leopard pugmark look like?
A leopard pugmark shows four rounded toes above a three-lobed pad, with no claw marks, because leopards retract their claws as they walk. Fresh prints in Yala's morning dust have sharp edges; older ones are blurred by wind and other tracks.
What is a langur alarm call?
A tufted grey langur's alarm call is a harsh, repeated cough given from a tree when the monkey sees a predator. In Yala it is one of the most reliable signs that a leopard is nearby, because langurs have a good view from above.
Why do spotted deer stare in one direction?
Spotted deer that stand still and stare in one direction, often with ears forward and a foot stamping, have usually seen or smelled a predator. In Yala, a herd doing this, especially with shrill alarm calls, is a strong sign of a leopard close by.
Should my driver stop when there are alarm calls?
Yes. When alarm calls start, the best thing a driver can do is stop, switch off the engine and listen. Racing about scares the animals and the predator. Waiting quietly often leads to a sighting that other jeeps miss.
Can you learn to track in one safari?
You can learn the basics in one or two drives. Ask your tracker to point out prints and explain alarm calls as they happen. Within a morning most visitors start recognising leopard and elephant prints and hearing deer and langur calls for themselves.