Yala National Park
The second-largest and most popular national park in Sri Lanka, Yala National Park is situated along the Indian Ocean. The park is made up of five blocks, two of which are currently accessible to the general public, as well as adjacent parks. The blocks are identified by their unique names, such as Block 1 for Ruhuna National Park and Block 2 for Kumana National Park, or "Yala East" for the nearby region. It is located in Southern Province and Uva Province in the southeast of the nation. The park is about 300 kilometers (190 miles) from Colombo and has a total area of 979 square kilometers (378 sq mi). Yala was established in 1900 as an animal refuge, and, having been established in 1938, was one of Sri Lanka's first two national parks, along with Wilpattu. The diversity of wild animals in the park is its best-known feature. It is crucial for the preservation of aquatic wildlife, leopards, and elephants in Sri Lanka.
Around Yala, there are three wildlife reserves 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 area. Yala is home to a range 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 has 44 mammals that have been identified, and it has one of the highest densities of leopards in the globe.
Several ancient cultures have lived in the Yala region. Within the park are Sithulpahuwa and Magul Vihara, two significant Buddhist pilgrimage locations. Yala National Park suffered significant harm from the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which also claimed 250 lives nearby. Since 2009, when the park's security condition improved, the number of visitors has increased.
