Yala National Park

All of Sri Lanka's 24 parks are different to one another, being the second largest in Sri Lanka with a wide land area of about 130 hectares; this park was a wild life sanctuary in ancient times and was transformed into Yala National Park in 1938.

 

Yala National Park is geographically located in Sri Lanka at latitude 06°16′ – 06°42′ North and longitude 81°15′ – 81°42′ East. The Park can be visited via the town of Tissamaharama in the Hambantota District of the Southern Province. Being located in one of the dry regions of Sri Lanka, the climate of Ruhuna National Park is usually hot and dry. The area receives its annual rainfall during the north-east monsoon from November to January, and unpredictable inter-monsoonal rains in March/April and September. The annual temperature near sea level is 27 C, although in the dry season a daily maximum of 37 C is not uncommon.

 

Yala is the most visited National Park in Sri Lanka and is home to a variety of fauna. Yala is also considered as one of the 70 most Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Sri Lanka; expected since it is home to about 215 bird species which includes six endemic species of Sri Lanka. The dry season falls between May and August. The Kumbukkan Oya and the Menik Ganga provide a source of water to animals during the entire year, keeping the Park healthy.

 

Consisting of five blocks and two open to the public namely the Ruhuna National Park and Kumana National Park. The Block I boundaries of the Park, take in 19 kilometers of sea coast in the southeast from Amaduwa to Yala, 19 kilometers from Yala up the Menik Ganga to Pahalahentota, 19 kilometers from Pahalahentota to Bambawa, and 3 kilometers from Bambawa to Palatupana. The Ruhunu Yala National Park is home to jumbo pachyderms, majestic peacocks and skilled leopards roaming the wilderness that is.

 

The area around Yala has hosted several ancient civilizations. Two important pilgrim sites, Sithulpahuwa and Magul Vihara, are situated within the park. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami caused severe damage on the Yala National Park and 250 people died in its vicinity. The number of visitors has been on the rise since 2009 after the security situation in the park improved.

 

This is surely one of the most spectacular seascapes of Sri Lanka. Far out at sea are two lighthouses which are named as the great and little basses. The extensive parkland that surround the lagoons offer visitors superb locations for viewing animals and bird life.