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Southern Province, Sri Lanka

Yala National Park

Yala National Park is the most visited and second-largest national park in Sri Lanka, bordering the Indian Ocean. The park consists of five blocks, three of which are now open to the public. There are also two adjoining parks, Kumana National Park or ‘Yala East’ and Lunugamvehera National Park. The blocks have individual names, such as Ruhuna National Park (Block 1). It is situated in the southeastern region of the country, in the Southern Province and Uva Province. The park covers 979 square kilometers and is located about 300 kilometers from Colombo. Yala was designated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1900, along with Wilpattu, designated in 1938 as one of the first two designated national parks in Sri Lanka. The park is best known for its variety of wildlife. It is important conservation of Sri Lankan elephants, Sri Lankan leopards and aquatic birds.

There are six national parks and three wildlife sanctuaries near Yala. Among the largest is Lunugamvehera National Park. The park is in the dry semi-arid climatic region and rain is received mainly during the northeast monsoon. Yala hosts a variety of ecosystems ranging from moist monsoon forests to freshwater and marine wetlands. It is one of the 70 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Sri Lanka. Yala harbors 215 bird species including six endemic species of Sri Lanka. The number of mammals that has been recorded from the park is 44, and it has one of the highest leopard densities in the world.

 

Yala is one of the 70 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Sri Lanka. Of 215 bird species of the park, seven are endemic to Sri Lanka. They are Sri Lanka grey hornbill, Sri Lanka junglefowl, Sri Lanka wood pigeon, crimson-fronted barbet, black-capped bulbul, blue-tailed bee-eater and brown-capped babbler. The number of waterbirds inhabiting wetlands of Yala is 90 and half of them are migrants.

Including Sri Lankan elephant, 44 species of mammals are resident in Yala National Park, and it has one of the highest leopard densities in the world. 25 individual leopards are estimated to roam in Block I. The elephant herd of Yala contains 300–350 individuals.

The reptile fauna recorded from the park is 47 and six of them are endemic.
There are 18 amphibian species that have been recorded from Yala, while Bufo atukoralei and Adenomus kelaartii are endemic to Sri Lanka.

The Yala National Park is the most visited park in Sri Lanka. Foreigners, especially Europeans, account for 30% of total visitors.

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