Lucas (Pan Wala 2:2 male) is a famous male leopard of Yala Block 1, born around May/June 2017 near Kotabendi Wewa with his brother Lance. He took over the south-east corner of Block 1 in 2019/20 and is described as possibly the most photographed leopard in Yala; in 2020 he was seen courting the female Aster. In April 2026 claims spread that a safari jeep had run over or targeted him, and the Department of Wildlife Conservation ordered an investigation; no outcome has been reported.
Sources
- Yala leopard "Lucas" killed? probe launched — Daily Mirror, 6 Apr 2026
- Yala Males (page 9): Pan Wala 2:2 Male [Lucas] — Leopard Trails, Leopards of Yala
- Yala's Leopard Personalities (Part 1) — Resplendent Ceylon / Wild Coast Lodge, 14 Oct 2019
- Spot on! — The Sunday Times (Kumudini Hettiarachchi), 13 Mar 2022
- The best trip to Yala for photography — Nature and Others on camera by Asiri (blog), 8 Sep 2020