Yala National Park

Around Yala, there are three wildlife sanctuaries and six national parks. National Park Lunugamvehera is one of the biggest. The northeast monsoon is when the park receives the majority of its rainfall because it is located in a dry, semi-arid climate region. Yala is home to a variety of ecosystems, including freshwater and marine wetlands as well as moist monsoon forests. It is one of Sri Lanka’s 70 Important Bird Areas (IBAs). Six Sri Lankan indigenous bird species are among the 215 bird species found in Yala. The park features 44 mammals that have been identified, and it boasts one of the greatest numbers of leopards in the world. Several ancient civilizations have lived in the Yala region. Within the park lie Sithulpahuwa and Magul Vihara, two significant pilgrimage sites.

It is located in Southern Province and Uva Province in the southeast of the nation. The park is roughly 300 kilometers (190 miles) from Colombo and has a total area of 979 square kilometers (378 sq. mi). Yala was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1900, and it was one of Sri Lanka’s first two national parks, along with Wilpattu, when it was established in 1938. The variety of wild creatures in the park is its best-known feature. It is crucial for the preservation of aquatic birds, leopards, and elephants in Sri Lanka.