New entrance open to Yala National Park

A new entrance to the Yala National Park was open for the public at Maw-aara through the Lunugamvehera National Park, Wildlife Department said yesterday.

Wildlife Conservation Department spokesperson Hasini Sarathchandra said visitors travelling along the Kataragama- Buttala Road could use the new entrance.

“This would reduce the congestion at Block one, for the main entrance to the national park. Visitors can also enter the park from entrance gates situated in Block 3, 4 and 5,” she said.

Mrs. Sarathchandra said they had renovated and repaired existing facilities such as road networks in addition to establishing the Kuda Galangura circuit bungalow for visitors.

Meanwhile, sources also said that plans were underway to merge the Lunugamvehera National Park to the Yala National Park.

The Yala National Park which is the most visited and the second largest national park in the country. The park consists of five blocks.

The Lunugamvehera Park which has 23,498 hectares of land area was declared in 1995, with the intention of protecting the catchment area of the Lunugamvehera Reservoir and wildlife of the area. This national park also serves as a corridor for elephants to migrate between Yala and Udawalawe National Park. (Darshana Sanjeewa)