
SRI LANKA - Wildlife
Yala National Park
Yala National Park is the most visited and second largest national park in Sri Lanka, bordering the Indian Ocean.
The park covers 979 square kilometres (378 sq mi) and is located about 300 kilometres (190 mi) from Colombo. Yala, along with Wilpattu was one of the first two national parks in Sri Lanka. It is important for the conservation of Sri Lankan elephants, leopards and aquatic birds. Yala is very popular and there is no limit for the number of vehicules, so it's crowded and leopards are very difficult to see and we didn't see them despite a lot of safaris. Also, we don't recommend it as roads are crossing Yala National Park and there is 5 blocks without corridors for the safety of wildlife.
Also Yala National Park is close to the beaches to rest after your safaris.
BEST TIME to VISIT YALA Nat. Park
BEST TIME to TRAVEL to SRI LANKA
From January to March (west&south) and July to August (east&north)

langur monkeys

eagle

peacock

male spotted deer

male spotted deer

indian marabou

macaque monkey

tree

bottom of a large tree

bottom of a large tree

tree

a 4WD is mandatory in the Park

driving in the park

peacock

eagle

parakeet feeding the chicks in a tree hole

parakeet feeding the chicks in a tree hole

one of the chicks is looking outside

green bee-eater

pied kingfisher

peacock

termite mound

Crested eagle

road in a very bad condition

garden lizard

trunk of a tree with leopard scratches

young eagle

painted storks

Grey head eagle

tree

hornbills - male and female

lizard with a good camouflage

young eagle

hornbills - male and female

small bird

green bee-eater

pied kingfisher

young wild buffalo

chestnut-headed bee-eater

peacock

This road has an heavy traffic (jeeps, bus, trucks..) and some elephants are begging food. Here the trump tried to smell food in each vehicule

This road has an heavy traffic (jeeps, bus, trucks..) and some elephants are begging food. Here the trump tried to smell food in each vehicule

painted-lipped lizard

crocodile

monitor lizard

macaque monkey

Hornbills - male and female

male spotted deers

monitor lizard

monitor lizard - head

Hornbill

Hornbill

male spotted deers fighting

Elephants - mother and calf

painted storks

in september, just before monsoon, the reservoir is almost empty

mongoose

crocodile

macaque monkeys

macaque monkeys - mother and baby

Gray langur

common kingfisher

egret

young wild buffalo

hornbill

hornbill

Gray langur

Stork-billed kingfisher

tiny black bird

white-bellied sea-eagle

kingfisher

Indian marabou

trees

Crested eagle

small lizard with an impressive camouflage

white throated kingfisher

Gray langurs

black-capped kingfisher

large squirrel

painted-lipped lizard

Crested eagle

monitor lizard on a tree

green bee-eater

Crested eagle

male elephant

macaque monkey

macaques - mother and baby

eagle

green bee-eater

Gray langur

Gray langur

Oriental darter fishing

sandy beach and waves

sandy beach and waves

sandy beach and waves

sandy beach and waves

beach behind these bushes

beach behind these bushes

relax at the beach

beach behind these bushes

relax at the hotel pool

This road crosses the park between blocks 5 and 3. Every day, elephants are waiting on the road to beg for food and it is difficult to understand why such a road was allowed, as there is no corridor for crossing animals and there are many accidents because the speed of vehicles is high.

This road crosses the park between blocks 5 and 3. Every day, elephants are waiting on the road to beg for food and it is difficult to understand why such a road was allowed, as there is no corridor for crossing animals and there are many accidents because the speed of vehicles is high.

Wildlife is unpredictable and an elephant can destroy easily such car

long line of jeeps entering block 5 and too many cars are allowed for good wildlife sightings

information panel at the entrance of the park. This is the only picture of leopard we can get as it's really difficult to see them, except to have a very good luck

Park entrance for tickets control

river

river

a dam is retaining water in a large reservoir

safari car

bushy landscape

Elephant on the road

kingfisher

the large reservoir

peacock

river with a small cascade

wild buffaloes crossing in front a car

young eagle

rocky landscape

eagle chick in the nest

white necked stork

male spotted deers fighting gently

Elephants - mother and calf

wild boars

male spotted deer and a termite mound

Road with an arch and trees

driving in the park

Oriental darter

young eagle

Elephants don't know the boundaries of the national park and this one, very friendly, is feeding on the hotel grounds - better to keep distance