Sri Lankan LeopardAn island subspecies, top of its food chain, and the reason most people come to Yala.
The wild
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 LeopardAn island subspecies, top of its food chain, and the reason most people come to Yala.Asian ElephantAround 350 in Yala, herds all year in Udawalawe, and between 15 and 60 in Bundala depending on the season.
Sloth BearShaggy, short-sighted and single-minded when the palu fruit ripens.
CrocodilesBoth mugger and saltwater crocodiles, and 47 reptile species in total.
BirdsSix endemics in Yala, thousands of migrants in Bundala, and a reservoir in Block 6 with 184 recorded species.
Deer & BuffaloThe prey base — and the reason the leopards are where they are.
Primates & Small MammalsCommon troops, and two of the hardest animals on the island to find.