Wildlife in Yala

Yala National Park, situated in the south east corner of the island, is one of the country’s largest and most popular national parks and is home to the greatest variety of Sri Lanka’s wildlife. Its varying habitats, consisting of scrub plains, jungles, rocky outcrops, fresh water lakes, rivers and beaches, provides home to many species of animals including Sloth Bear, herds of elephants, buffalo, monkeys, sambar, deer, crocodiles and the endangered leopard sub-species, Panthera pardus kotiya, which is found only in Sri Lanka.

The dry months from May to September are the best time for viewing Sri Lanka’s big game, including leopards and Sloth Bear. From October to April (during the Northern Hemisphere winter),Yala becomes the home of many species of migratory birds and is a hotspot for birdwatching. Migrating waders that can be seen include several varieties of sandpipers and plovers as well as Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Pintail Snip and Back-Tailed Godwit. The first few months of the year are also good for observing Leopard cubs.

Kumana National Park is also within easy reach of Yala, a more tranquil park which houses many of the same creatures as Yala. It is one of the most important resting sites for birds migrating to Sri Lanka. It also has a coastal border where marine turtles can be observed.