Yala National Park
Sri Lanka /
Monaragala /
Wattegama /
World
/ Sri Lanka
/ Monaragala
/ Wattegama
World / Sri Lanka / Moneragala
park, forest, wetland, national park
Yala National Park is a national park in Sri Lanka. The reserve covers 979 km², although only the original 141 km² are open to the public.
Much of the reserve is parkland, but it also contains jungle, beaches, freshwater lakes and rivers and scrubland. The latter zone is punctuated with enormous rocky outcrops. The range of habitats give rise to a good range of wildlife.
Yala has the world's highest concentration of Leopards, although seeing this largely nocturnal carnivore still requires some luck. There are good numbers of Asian Elephants, Crocodile, Wild Boar, Water Buffalo and Grey langurs amongst other large animals.
The open parkland attracts birds of prey such as White-bellied Sea Eagle and the wetlands have Waders, Painted Storks, and the rare Black-necked Stork.
Landbirds of course are in abundance, and include Sirkeer Malkoha, Indian Peafowl and Sri Lanka Junglefowl.
The park was badly damaged by the tsunami of 26th December 2004, with the destruction of the wildlife center and tourist lodge. Many tourists, including a party of 22 Japanese, died in the disaster, as did several of the national park and lodge employees. It is claimed that no evidence of large-scale animal deaths from the tsunami was found indicating that animals may have sensed the wave coming and fled to higher ground.
Much of the reserve is parkland, but it also contains jungle, beaches, freshwater lakes and rivers and scrubland. The latter zone is punctuated with enormous rocky outcrops. The range of habitats give rise to a good range of wildlife.
Yala has the world's highest concentration of Leopards, although seeing this largely nocturnal carnivore still requires some luck. There are good numbers of Asian Elephants, Crocodile, Wild Boar, Water Buffalo and Grey langurs amongst other large animals.
The open parkland attracts birds of prey such as White-bellied Sea Eagle and the wetlands have Waders, Painted Storks, and the rare Black-necked Stork.
Landbirds of course are in abundance, and include Sirkeer Malkoha, Indian Peafowl and Sri Lanka Junglefowl.
The park was badly damaged by the tsunami of 26th December 2004, with the destruction of the wildlife center and tourist lodge. Many tourists, including a party of 22 Japanese, died in the disaster, as did several of the national park and lodge employees. It is claimed that no evidence of large-scale animal deaths from the tsunami was found indicating that animals may have sensed the wave coming and fled to higher ground.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yala_National_Park
Nearby cities:
Coordinates: 6°30'4"N 81°28'13"E
- Block II 5.9 km
- Block I (A block of Yala National Park) 16 km
- Block IV 32 km
- Udawalawe National Park 82 km
- Gal Oya National Park 96 km
- Kanneliya Forest Reserve 128 km
- Sinharaja Rain Forest 131 km
- Wasgomuwa National Park 168 km
- Angammedilla National Park 177 km
- Wilpattu National Park 287 km
- Talaguruhela 7.7 km
- Velkanda malai 11 km
- Sithulpahuwa 13 km
- Kabiliththa dewala 14 km
- Chella Katargamam 18 km
- Kataragama 18 km
- Kataragama Buddhist Temple and Devalaya 18 km
- Galge 19 km
- Weheragala Reservoir 24 km
- Lunugamwehera New city 34 km
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