Natures' Paradise Yala National Park

by Rosanne Koelmeyer Anderson

The leopard,you’re sure to see

Elephants in the wilderness

Travelling all the way to Yala National Park and embarking on a day or night safari is one tour any wild life enthusiast should surely not miss. Not very far off from Colombo, just 290 km from Colombo, on the South eastern coast of Sri Lanka, is nature's paradise with a terrain of jungle of adorning beauty renowned for its wildlife, the Yala National Park.

The journey to the park is not easy simply because of the scorching sun which you will experience if you decide to do a day tour. The weather throughout the year is similar, but taking off early at around 6.30 am is best during day or around 4.30 pm if you are contemplating on an evening safari.

A little bit of advise; all travellers require moderate fitness to endure the rough drive and getting in and out of the safari jeeps.But its all in the game, just move on and take pleasure in seeing the beauty that Lasssana Sri Lanka has to offer.

A few extras which may enhance your safari is binoculars, rain gear if needed and appropriate attire, comfortable sporty walking shoes, and a sunburn lotion ,plenty of drinking water and all necessary paraphernalia may be a good idea to have, tucked-up in your old kit bag .

I stressed on this because on one of my visits to Yala National Park I did have an unforgettable experience of being stranded in the park when the safari jeep we were travelling in stalled on our way back, in the thick of the jungle at around 7 pm and darkness had fallen.

We were about 15 in number, tense, anxious onlookers perched on the two sides of the jeep, praying to God as the tracker initially vehemently protested at the thought of anyone getting off. With the help of a dim light of a torch and later on the backlight of the mobile phone the tracker struggled with the engine which would not show any signs of starting.

The episode took so long that we were finally given the green light to step down from the vehicle, and remain absolutely silent on the alert for any animals that may cross our path.

We did have a glimpse of a leopard and the bear, but I had lost all interest by this time. I just stood trembling from head to toe. A thrilling experience for some and a nightmare to others, we kept gazing at our watches as the time ticked on.

Mind you mobile phones did not work inside the park, there were no signals to even pass on a message to the gate. It was about two hours later that we saw a truck pass by and asked them to inform the gate. We had no alternative but to wait till another jeep was sent.

It was around 10 pm when we finally came to the entrance of the park where stood a small boutique where we quenched our thirst.

It was certainly an experience in the wild. Yala National Park if you would be interested to know is one of the oldest national parks in Sri Lanka as well as a very popular photographic site for some exceptional pictures if you are fascinated by wildlife and are a collector of rare shots you may be able to capture if you are fortunate to get a glimpse of some of the rare species in the wild. In adding it is amazing to see the wildlife photographers wait patiently with their highly sophisticated photographic equipment for that rare priceless picture. I think this is one place you could try your hand at photography ;it may turn out to be a very valuable experience as I did on my safaris.

Observing Sri Lanka's impressive large mammal fauna and its flagship species of Asian elephants, leopards, sloth bears and deer in the park are a treat to the beholder as well it harbours a rich variety of bird life of around 70 species for all you bird lovers.

The National Park is divided into five blocks; of which block one (Yala West) has the sea and the river as its boundaries, is believed to have one of the highest densities of leopards in the world making it one of the best chances in Asia to actually see the much talked of leopards in the wilderness of the jungles of beautiful Sri Lanka and photograph them. It is also home to a large number of elephants who can be seen bathing and cooling off at the park's lakes.

The resident wildlife found at Yala is said to include approximately 450 elephants (Elaphas maximus), spotted deer, wild buffalos (Bubalus bubalis) wild pigs, and various bird species, as well as the Sambar and Sloth bears, the Jungle Cat (Viverrivacula indica) the Rusty-spotted cat (Felis rubiginosa), and the Jungle Cat which are quite common sights in the Park while the bear could be sighted in the evenings.

You can observe the jackals, the monkeys at their pranks chattering, and the occasional python as well.

From October to January, during the Northeast monsoon, Yala is home for thousands of migrating birds that intermingle with waterfowls, the White-winged Black Tern, Curlew Whimbrel and Turnstone that mingle with the resident birds while the shores of the beaches of Yala boasts of the famous Star tortoise, the Green turtle, the Hawkbill turtle and the Leatherblack turtle.

After a hard days excursion, on your return from the evening safari you could avail yourself of a hearty BBQ meal in a romantic setting, that's only if you are still energetic enough to enjoy the spread with a traditional touch to it; flaming torches and the camping atmosphere all around you, a perfect blend rising to the occasion.

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