Sri Lankan elephant, leopard, The sloth bear, wild water buffalo, Toque macaque, Golden palm civet, fishing cat and red slender loris.
crocodile species, mugger crocodile and saltwater crocodile, Sea turtles (leatherback turtle, olive ridley, loggerhead sea turtle, hawksbill turtle, and green turtle) Russell's viper and The Indian cobra
Adenomus kelaartii ,Bufo atukoralei and 18 native amphibians species
Crabs, prawns, common Mormon, common lime butterfly,common Jezebel, The common bluebottle, and crimson rose
Yala Safari Park aka Ruhuna National Park (block 1) the most visited and second largest national park on the outskirts of the Indian Ocean, consist with five major blocks and six adjoining national parks and three adjoining wildlife sanctuaries. Among the most famous ones located in the vicinity of Yala are Lunugamvehera National Park and Kumana National Park or 'Yala East'. In and around the Yala has hosted many ancient Buddhist civilizations like any other parts of the country two important pilgrim sites, Magul Vihara and Sithulpahuwa are located within the park. The Yala Safari Park is located in the dry, semi-arid climatic region of the country and rely on northeast monsoon for rain. Yale is home to many ecosystems ranging from freshwater lakes to marine wetlands and moist monsoon forests.
The Yala is consist with of metamorphic rock belonging to the Precambrian era and classified into two series, Highland series and Vijayan series. low humic grey soil and Reddish brown soil are mostly spread among other six soil types. Yala as we know it formed over a long period of time by erosion and undisturbed crustal movement, then become more or less level land surface, similar terrain extent from Trincomalee to Hambantota with, smooth wavelike form. Yala interior elevation runs high as 100–125 metres (328–410 ft) while the Coastal area remaining within 30 metres (98 ft) 15 metres (49 ft). Since Yala Safari Park, located in dry, semi-arid climatic region. It will mainly rely on northeast monsoon for its rain. Mean temperature ranges between 26°C to 30°C and the mean annual rainfall fluctuate between 500–775 millimetres. In Yala it is mostly windy during the southwest monsoon, it will go high as 23 kilometres per hour (14 mph).
During the dry season water become more scarce. Natural Waterholes and rock pools become the main source of water, for its residents. Waterholes naturally form during the rainy season in low lying places, while rock pools provide water year-round, and common beneficiary of this important source of water will be elephants, many water birds and water buffaloes. Such reservoirs are mostly confined to Block I and Block II. There are a few barely surviving reservoir such as Buthawa, Maha Seelawa, Pilinnawa and Uraniya, they mostly runoff before the northeast monsoon.
This is not the case for the rainy season, which is northeast monsoon, water will become most abundant element and all fauna and flora will thrive like a rain forest, most of water will flow from southeasterly direction, originating from highland of Sri Lanka, Menik River and its tributaries in the west and Kumbukkan Oya in the east flow across the park giving life to park once again.
Even before the 1st century BC Sri Lanka is ruled by The Great king Ravana, Ravana is the son of Vishrava and Kaikesi and grandson of Pulastya. Back then Yala is the center of civilisations and his kingdom established with Ravana Kotte, (now submerged in the sea), Ancient Sea trading routes make this civilisations more rich and diverse through out the time. Buddhist temple called Situlpahuwa dating back to more than 2500 years, gave shelter for 12,000 arahants, Magul Vihara, also situated with-in the Yala National park which is built in 87 BC. Another important ancient ruin is Akasa Chaitiya which built in the 2nd century BC. More than 400,000 pilgrims visit Yala annually.
Jeep fee for Half Day Safari is USD 45 - Jeep fee for Full Day Safari is USD 118 - Child age 6-12
Number of pax | Ticket price- Adult - (per person) | Ticket price- Child - (per person) |
---|---|---|
01 pax | USD 58 | USD 15 |
02 pax | USD 41 | USD 15 |
03 pax | USD 38 | USD 15 |
04 pax | USD 35 | USD 15 |
05 pax | USD 33 | USD 15 |
06 pax | USD 30 | USD 15 |