Where to see herds of Sri Lankan axis deer?

Massive herds of Sri Lankan axis deer (spotted deer) are easily seen roaming the open plains of Wilpattu National Park and also Yala National Park.

These deer are the most common large mammal within Sri Lanka’s dry zone reserves. In Wilpattu, they often come together in big numbers around the naturally sand-rimmed water basins, and it feels like a magnet. Their distinctive alarm barks are highly used by safari guides as a way to follow nearby hunting leopards, even when the animals are a bit hidden.