Wildlife Lovers’ Guide to Yala National Park

 

There’s no secret that Yala is Sri Lanka’s most popular national park. Two types of protected natural areas are available in the Yala region: a strict nature reserve and a nature-rich national park. Yala has more species of animals than any other wildlife reserve in Sri Lanka, and it also receives the most visitors. Nearly 130,000 acres of land are under the park’s administration, and it is divided into five sections. There are also a few dense blocks of wood, scrub, meadows, tanks, and lagoons spread out throughout the landscape. At present, only two of the five blocks are accessible to the general public. Located in southeastern Sri Lanka, Yala abuts the breathtaking Indian Ocean and has been a wildlife refuge since 1900 and a national park since 1938.

 

When the British were in control, the park was ironically utilized as a hunting place for the wealthy. Around 44 different kinds of animals and 215 different kinds of birds may be found in Yala. More leopards live there than anywhere else in the world, making them one of its best-known inhabitants.

 

Yala National Park: A Brief History

Spanish geographer Cipriano Sanchez included Yala on his map in 1560. It has been 300 years since the park’s abandonment, as documented in his records, because of safety concerns. Under the Forest Ordinance, Yala and Wilpattu were declared reserves by the government on March 23, 1900. Located between the Menik and Kumbukkan River systems, the reserve’s original size was 389 square kilometers. During that time, the nature preserve was not known by its current name, Yala.

The agricultural minister, D. S. Senanayake enacted the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance, making Yala a national park on March 1, 1938.

 

Physical features of Yala

Metamorphic rock from the Precambrian age, divided into the Vijayan and Highland groups, makes up the majority of the Yala region. Among these six soil types, low-humic gray soil and reddish-brown soil are particularly common. Yala lies on the southern tip of Sri Lanka’s longest peninsula. The landscape is characterized by a flat, gently sloping plain that extends toward the ocean and gradually rises inland.

 

The park is located in a semiarid climate zone, and the northeast monsoon is the primary source of precipitation there. Between these months, January and April, we typically see the majority of the year’s precipitation and average temperatures. Yala has moderate winds during the southwest monsoon, which is windier than the northeast monsoon.

 

Yala National Park’s Wild Animals

Wild animals abound in Yala, and the park is home to many different kinds, including several that are found only in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan elephant congregates in enormous herds around Yala’s watering holes.

Current findings indicate that Yala has the highest density of the enigmatic Sri Lankan leopard. Due to the absence of natural predators, leopards in Sri Lanka’s national parks are rather easy to spot, despite being far more nocturnal than their counterparts in other locations around the world.

 

The climate in Yala National Park

Yala has a warm and muggy climate since it is in Sri Lanka’s dry zone. Mostly semiarid thorn scrub, with some more heavily forested areas and scattered mangrove stands in and around the coastal lagoons. In the dry season (May/June to October), average temperatures may get to 37 degrees Celsius. This time of year, animals are forced to congregate at specific waterholes, making for excellent safari viewing conditions.

From November through January, the northeast monsoon provides much-needed reprieve to the region’s animals and plants, and the jungles’ vibrant colors come to life

 

The best time to visit Yala

The dry months of February through June are prime time for exploring Yala National Park. The animals that come out to drink may be more easily seen now that the ponds are drier. The months of February and March are leopards’ peaks.

How do I get to Yala?

The national park spans the districts of Hambantota and Monaragala in the southern and eastern provinces of Sri Lanka, respectively. Palatupana, located 12 kilometers from Kirinda, serves as the park’s entry. Colombo and Palatupana’s entrance points are separated by a distance of 305 kilometers.

Yala National Park’s main entrance is in the town of Tissamaharama. To reach Palatupana, guests must travel 20 kilometers through Kirinda. All approaching cars at Palatupana are given a tracker and given informational pamphlets by the helpful staff at the well-designed visitor center. Park visitors may see animals from the comfort of the open top of a Jeep provided by the park.

 

1.  Getting to Yala National Park by Airplane

The Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake is the international airport that serves Sri Lanka. It is located on the outskirts of Colombo and serves as a gateway for flights arriving from most parts of the world. The quickest route from the airport in Sri Lanka to Yala National Park is via flight. From Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, it is just a 45-minute trip to Hambantota, from whence you may continue to Yala National Park.

2. Travel by train

It takes roughly 9 hours by rail to reach Yala National Park from Colombo. Daily between 9:45 AM and 8 PM, a train leaves Colombo Fort Station bound for Haputale. From Haputale, it’s roughly an hour and a half’s journey to Yala National Park.

 

3. Getting to Yala National Park  via bus

It’ll take you almost 300 kilometers on the Southern Expressway to reach Yala National Park from Colombo Airport. Drive to Yala National Park from Bandaranaike International Airport in comfort, since roads in Sri Lanka are normally in excellent condition. The fastest and most comfortable way to get there is in a private vehicle that has been reserved in advance.

A bus ride from Colombo Bastian Mawatha Bus Terminal to Kataragama will take around 8 hours; from Kataragama, it’s another 30-minute drive to Yala National Park. The bus trip will take about 8.5 hours.

 

Wrapping up

Yala, one of Sri Lanka’s most popular national parks, is a haven for exotic animals. Its warmer temperature and rich biodiversity make it a great place to see exotic animals up close without having to go far. February to June, during the dry season, is the ideal time to explore Yala National Park.