Yala National Park

Wildlife Destinations
December 15, 2023

Yala National Park, the second largest and most visited national park in Sri Lanka, is globally renowned for its exceptional leopard-watching opportunities. The park encompasses a variety of ecosystems, including moist monsoon forests, thorn forests, grasslands, and freshwater and marine wetlands. Recognized as one of Sri Lanka’s 70 Important Bird Areas (IBAs), Yala is home to 215 bird species, including six endemics. It boasts a recorded count of 44 mammal species, with the leopard as its star attraction.

Possible Highlights

Spot-billed Pelican, Great Thick-knee, Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Barred Buttonquail, Asian Wooly-necked Stork, Black-necked Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Painted Stork, Black-headed Ibis, Eurasian Spoonbill, Sri Lanka Junglefowl, Orange-breasted Green-Pigeon, Crested Serpent-Eagle, Changeable Hawk-Eagle, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Grey-headed Fish-Eagle, Brown Fish-Owl, Jerdon’s Nightjar, Indian Nightjar, Crested Treeswift, Sri Lanka Swallow, Sirkeer Malkoha, Blue-faced Malkoha, Pied Cuckoo, Grey-bellied Cuckoo, Common Kingfisher, Asian Green Bee-eater, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Indian Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Malabar Pied-Hornbill, Coppersmith Barbet, Brown-headed Barbet, Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, Red-backed Flameback, Indian Pitta, Indian Robin, Sri Lanka Woodshrike, Small Minivet, White-tailed Iora, Brahminy Starling, Baya Weaver, Indian Siverbill, Jerdon’s Bushlark, Paddyfield Pipit Sri Lanka Leopard, Sloth Bear, Asian Elephant, Spotted Deer, Wild Water Buffalo, Grey Langer, Sri Lankan Jackal, Ruddy Mongoose, Indian Hare, Wild Boar, Sambar Deer, Mugger Crocodile, Land Monitor