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