Sri Lankan Leopard An island subspecies, top of its food chain, and the reason most people come to Yala.
Yala National Park wildlife: Forty-four mammals. One of them makes the headlines.
Yala holds around 350 elephants, more than 215 recorded bird species and 47 reptiles. This is what our drivers look for, where they look for it, and how often it actually appears.
- 44 species
- About 350
- 215+, six endemic
- 47, five endemic
Field guide
Seven things to look for.
Sri Lankan Leopard An island subspecies, top of its food chain, and the reason most people come to Yala.
Asian Elephant Around 350 in Yala, herds all year in Udawalawe, and between 15 and 60 in Bundala depending on the season.
Sloth Bear Shaggy, short-sighted and single-minded when the palu fruit ripens.
Crocodiles Both mugger and saltwater crocodiles, and 47 reptile species in total.
Birds Six endemics in Yala, thousands of migrants in Bundala, and a reservoir in Block 6 with 184 recorded species.
Deer & Buffalo The prey base — and the reason the leopards are where they are.
Primates & Small Mammals Common troops, and two of the hardest animals on the island to find.