YALA NATIONAL PARK (Sri-Lanka)

 Yala national park is the second largest park in Sri-lanka. It was established in 1938 by the parliament act. It was situated between Southern province and Uva province. The park covers about 979 square meters. This is very popular park among local and foreign travelers.  This park is well known for the variety of the wild animals, and important for the conservation of  elephants, leopards and aquatic birds. Yala national park is divided in to six divisions.

Yala is located on the lowest peneplain of Sri Lanka and stretches from Trincomalee to Hambantota. Geographically, the area is flat and gently endless, rising 30 m (98 ft) above sea level and 100–125 m (328–410 ft) inland. The National Park is located in a dry semi-arid climate zone and receives rainfall mainly during the northeast monsoon.

44 species of mammals, including the Sri Lankan elephant, live in Yala National Park,  making it one of the largest leopard dens in the world.  It is estimated that 25 single leopards roam in Block I. The Yala Elephant Range has 300–350 individuals

Yala is one of the 70 important bird sanctuaries in Sri Lanka. Seven of the 215 bird species in the park are endemic to Sri Lanka. These are the Sri Lankan Gray Hornbill, the Sri Lankan Wild Birds, the Sri Lankan Wood Pigeons, the dark red front barb, the black bubble, the blue-tailed bee and the brown bubble. The number of waterfowl living in the wetlands of Yala is 90 and half of them are migratory.