YALA NATIONAL PARK

 

An introduction to Yala National Park

    Yala National Park is Sri Lanka's most visited and second biggest public park arranged near Hambantota. Yala was assigned as an untamed life safe-haven in 1990 and covers around 979 square kilometers of ground region. Yala comprises of 215 types of birds out of which 7 species are endemic to Sri Lanka. It harbors 44 types of warm blooded creatures and has probably the most noteworthy thickness of panthers on the planet. Two significant journey locales in particular, Sithulpahuwa and Magul Vihara are arranged inside the Yala National Park.

    The best an ideal opportunity to visit the Yala National Park is in the dry season from February to June when a wide assortment of creatures can be spotted. As water levels are lower during this season, it is more straightforward to recognize the creatures coming out to the tidal ponds to drink water and hydrate themselves.

    The weekend requires a colossal traffic upheaval because of the numerous vehicles entering the Yala National Park during the time. It is ideal to visit the recreation area during a work day when the traffic is considerably less as the recreation area is less packed during that time.

 

Access to the Yala National Park

    The Yala National Park comprises of five squares numbered from Block 1 to Block 5.

    Block 1 has 2 entryways. One is at Palatupana which can be gotten to through Tissamaharama and the other is at Katagamuwa which can be gotten to by means of Kataragama.

    Block 2 can be gotten to through similar doors as Block 1. Blocks 1 and 2 stay the most visited.

    Block 3, 4 and 5 can be gotten to from the Galge entrance on the Buttala-Kataragama Road. These squares are generally gotten to by guests who need to stay away from the blockage at different passageways.

    The Palatupana entrance is the most clogged entry because of the ubiquity of Block 1. The remainder of the entryways and areas were available to the public as of late.

 

 Wildlife at Yala National Park

    Yala National Park comprises of a differentiated scope of untamed life which incorporates vertebrates, reptiles, birds, creepy crawlies and so on The recreation area is home to 44 assortments of warm blooded creatures and 215 types of birds. Among every one of the creatures dwelling at Yala National Park the most famous ones are the panthers, elephants, jackals, spotted deer, sloth bears, crocodiles and peacocks.

    There are additionally a significant number jeopardized types of creatures at the Yala National Park.

Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus)
Leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya)
Elephant (Elephas maximus)
Water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)
Wild boar (Sus scrofa)
Spotted deer (Axis axis ceylonessis)
Sambar (Cervus unicolor)
Golden jackal (Canis aureus)
 

Leopards at Yala National Park

    Yala National Park is home to the most noteworthy densities of panthers on the planet. It does not shock spot these great monsters during a safari in the recreation area. The Sri Lankan panther in particular Panthera Pardus Kotiya can be found meandering unreservedly in the recreation area. Yala National Park's Block 1 has recorded the most elevated thickness of panthers from all natural life public parks of Sri Lanka. There are around 40 panthers at Yala National Park with around 25 of them wandering in Block 1 alone. The best period for locating panthers at the recreation area is from January to July.

Elephants at Yala National Park

    There is countless elephants meandering openly at the Yala National Park. These grand tusked elephants are best located during the dry season which is from May to August. The elephant crowd at the recreation area comprises of 300 – 350 individual tuskers. These monster well evolved creatures could be spotted wandering or washing in the tidal ponds and waterholes at the recreation area.

Birds at Yala National Park

    There is roughly 215 types of birds at the Yala National Park There are 90 water birds possessing the wetlands of Yala and a big part of them are travelers. The water birds found incorporate the lesser flamingo, pelican, spoonbill, dim heron, purple heron, night heron, uncommon dark necked stork, painted stork and darter. Among other bird species, raptors including the peaked snake hawk and white bellied ocean falcon can be located at the Yala National Park.

    Out of 215 types of birds in the recreation area, 7 of them are endemic to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka grey hornbill
Sri Lanka junglefowl
Sri Lanka wood pigeon
Crimson-fronted barbet
Black-capped bulbul
Blue-tailed bee-eater
Brown-capped babbler

Reptiles at Yala National Park

    Yala National Park is a significant settling ground for a wide assortment of reptiles species. A portion of the reptile species which can be found at the recreation area incorporate the mugger crocodile, saltwater crocodile, estuarine crocodile, cobra Russel's snake and an assortment of ocean turtles like Olive Ridley and Leatherback.

    Out of 47 types of reptiles in the recreation area, 6 of them are endemic to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan krait
Boulenger’s keelbac
Sri Lankan flying snake
Painted-lip lizard
Wiegmann’s agama
Bahir’s fan-throated lizard

Out of 18 types of creatures of land and water in the recreation area, 2 of them are endemic to Sri Lanka.

Bufo atukoralei
Adenomus kelaartii

Getting to Yala National Park

    From Galle travel along the Kirinda – Palatupana – Yala Road passing Matara, Dikwella, Tangalle, Tissamaharama and Kirinda until Hambantota to arrive at the Yala National Park which can be gotten to through any of the doors referenced previously.

 

Tanks at Yala National Park

    There are numerous archeological remnants tracing all the way back to the antiquated realms of Sri Lanka, which can be found at Yala. These remains date back to the Kingdom of Ruhuna during first century BC. Huge tanks, for example, Gonagala, Butthuwa, Banduwewa and Bambawa worked by old lords have been utilized to store water for horticultural purposes. Butthuwa is the biggest tank at the Yala National Park.