While Block I has good
access roads, access to Blocks II and III is limited mainly to dry
weather. There are eight Park bungalows all of which are within Yala
Block I. Another has been constructed at Katagamuwa Sanctuary, and one
more is now ready for occupation in Yala Block IV. Accommodation is
available for 8-10 people in each bungalow on the basis of prior
reservations with the Department of Wildlife Conservation. Apart from
resident visitors occupying the bungalows, a large number of day
visitors enter the Park.
The
Block I boundaries of the Park, take in 19 kilometers of sea coast in
the southeast from Amaduwa to Yala, 19 kilometers from Yala up the Menik
Ganga to Pahalahentota, 19 kilometers from Pahalahentota to Bambawa,
and 3 kilometers from Bambawa to Palatupana.
HISTORY
"The
earliest epigraphic "Brahmi" inscriptions discovered in Sri Lanka and
in this region date back to the 2nd century B.C. Prior to this the
Indo-Aryan settlers from Northern India as represented,in the legend of
Vijaya, were well established and in full control of the area. Edifices
of the earliest Buddhist cave monastery type began to be constructed
wherever there was human habitation and in suitable rock outcrops, of
which there are many in the area. There are to this day innumerable and
very interesting remains of cave dwellings from the pre-Christian era."
This
region was part of the Rohana (Ruhuna) Kingdom, having an advanced
civilization as evinced by remains of dagabas and ancient artificial
reservoirs (tanks), built by clever hydrological engineers, to irrigate
large extents of cultivable land.
After
the 10th century, historical evidence draws attention to the absence of
inscriptions later than the 10th century A.D. "Architectural and
sculptural remains of the medieval period are absent. It would appear to
be a justifiable inference that some sudden de-population of the region
occurred. The ancient chronicles supply no information whatsoever and
the jungle tide spread covering the past with a mantle of secondary
forest. These have matured to the climax stands seen in Yala today.
THE MODERN ERA
At
the turn of the century Yala Block I was declared a Game Sanctuary. A
small area west of the Sanctuary was set aside in which resident
sportsman might shoot. The main force behind this decision was the Game
Protection Society (now the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society)
founded in 1894 by the plantation owners, executives of firms, sportsmen
and amateur naturalists favouring the conservation of wildlife. Records
denote that the first Game Ranger of the Sanctuary was H.H.
Engelbrecht, an Afrikaaner and a Boer prisoner of war who was not
returned to South Africa on account of his refusal to swear allegiance
to the British monarchy. After his release Engelbrecht came to the
nearby coastal town of Hambantota. Being on his own on foreign soil, he
found life hard. The Government Agent of the district however, took pity
on Engelbrecht and made him the custodian of the Game Sanctuary around
1908. With his experience of wildlife on the veldt, the post suited him
admirably. He administered the region fearlessly and with courage, using
his whip to punish any miscreants. Many are the tales of his daring and
prowess with the gun. However, his German ancestry proved to be his
undoing. He was falsely accused during the First World War (1914-1918),
of supplying meat to a German warship, the "Emden", and was taken into
custody. After the war, he was released and once again returned to
Hambantota where he died in poverty. Long after his death, it was proved
that he was innocent of the accusation.
CLIMATE
Being
located in one of the arid regions of Sri Lanka, the climate of Ruhuna
National Park is usually hot and dry. The area receives its annual
rainfall during the north east monsoon from November to January, and
unpredictable inter-monsoonal rains in March/April and September.
February is a dry month, with the dry season proper commencing in June
and lasting until September and sometimes until mid October.
The mean annual temperature near sea level is 270C, although in the dry season a daily maximum of 370C is not uncommon.
PHYSICAL FEATURES
"Most
of the area is underlain by Vijayan rocks formed over 600 million years
ago. Rock outcrops or inselbergs stand out of a relatively flat plain,
looming to heights of up to 800ft. They are made up of migmatites,
hornblende, and granite gneisses. Pleistocene and Holocene alluvial and
aeolian deposits cover the Vijayan series near the Menik ganga and along
most of the coast line."
The
Menik Ganga is now a seasonal river, since its damming for irrigation
purposes higher up, as far back as 1878. There are four other seasonal
"aras" or streamlets carrying water during the rainy season.
The
breached and denuded earth bunds of several irrigation tanks are still
visible, together with natural water holes and tanks (wewa), improved to
hold water. These sources of water are a link in the survival of the
wildlife found within the area.
Amongst
the rock ridges and monoliths are several natural rock pools that have a
charm of their own. Some contain water throughout the year, and have
their own development of water plants and fauna.
In
the southeast, the Park is bounded by the sea. The many bays carve out
an intricate mosaic. Unspoilt natural beaches and sand dunes provide a
beautiful environment of undulating and shifting sands. This is surely
one of the most spectacular seascapes of Sri Lanka. Far out at sea are
two lighthouses, Great and Little Basses, which stand on two submerged
ridges by those names and beam a red and white light respectively at
night.
Lagoons fringe this part
of the coastline, each lined with mangroves and filled with brackish
water. The extensive parklands that surround these lagoons offer
visitors superb locations for viewing animals and bird life.
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| Asian Elephants |
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| Chital Deer |
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| Malabar Pied Hornbill |
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| Black-naped Hare |
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| Changable Hawk Eagl |
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| Elephant |
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| Green Bee Eaters |
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| Grey-headed Fish Eagl |
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| Leopards |
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| Malabar Pied Hornbill |
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| Marsh Croc |
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| Mongoose |
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| Red-wattled Lapwin |
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| Rufous-winged Bushlark |
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| Spot-billed Pelican |
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| Sri Lanka Junglefowl running |
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| Wild Boar bluffing |
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| Wild Boars drive out leopards |
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| Wild Buffalo |
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| Yala Beach |
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| Yala Leopard |
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| Yellow-wattled |
A wild life ranger have to accompany in this safari. He will guide you safely and they know where you can see the animals.
These are some of the wild life photography on my visit to Yala. You can see more nature and wild life from Yala at Assumed Altitude a personal Blog in Lankan Blogger.
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