Southern Sri Lanka was one of the first landmasses to the west of the epicentre of the 26 December 2004 Indonesian earthquake to be hit by the resulting tsunami. Located almost directly adjacent to the quake site off Aceh, Yala National Park took a direct hit with waves exceeding 10 meters in height and even higher in places with funnel effects, that is, where the water was forced into narrow gaps between headlands.
More than 35,000 Sri Lankans lost their lives to the Boxing Day Tsunami. Yet, remarkably, almost all the wildlife of Yala National Park survived. This prompted much speculation about animal sixth senses in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. However, the reality is that many animals are far more sensitive to vibrations than human beings. They can also perceive vibrations across a far broader spectrum than humans. In other words, the animals of Yala were able to ‘feel’ the tsunami wave long before it arrived.
Game rangers reported seeing elephants running away from the coast an hour or so before the wave hit. Elephants have vibration sensors in their feet known as Pacinian corpuscles, which pick vibrations up from the ground and transmit them to the brain. These sensors can pick up wavelengths far longer than those audible to the human ear.
Turtles, which also have a sophisticated mechanisms for detecting subtle changes in the earth’s geomagnetism, moved inland. Lizards and snakes are similarly sensitive to vibrations; they fled mainly into trees, according to human survivors who did the same.
Birds were seen taking off ahead of the waves as well; some migratory species are sensitive to changes in geomagnetism, while non-migratory birds probably saw the tidal wave coming from the elevated vantage points. Bats also left.
Even dogs in nearby villages refused to go onto the beaches that morning. Only two buffalos were reported dead in Yala. Within days of the Tsunami, the wildlife was back in the coastal parts of the park.
Yala’s survival is, of course, is a good thing. Yala is a great national park. Pretty much all the animals you would expect to see in Sri Lanka are here, including leopards, sloth bears, elephants, crocodiles, buffalos, wild boar, langurs, monitor lizards, mongoose, hares, and squirrels. In great abundance.
Yet, the two greatest attractions in Yala are the unique landscape and the birds. By virtue of its unique location on the Indian Ocean coastline, elephants can be seen taking a stroll on the beach. Many other types of animals regularly come down to the sea to sip salt water in order to replenish their mineral balances.
Moving inland, the beaches soon give way to many brackish ponds that are fed variously with fresh water from rainfall and upcountry streams and salt water from the sea, carried in by storms and other high-water events, such as tsunamis.
Beyond the ponds, Yala’s core ecosystem begins. Green dense low bush is interspersed with large trees with thick branches and islands of huge rounded rocky boulders. This ecosystem is particularly suited for the leopards for which Yala has (rightly) become so famous.
Game watching is generally highly rewarding. We saw three leopards in two days. One of the large male leopards of Yala, known as ‘Lucas’, stalked water buffalos on the open mudflats adjacent to one of the larger brackish ponds. When it got to within just 10 meters of its target, other buffalos congregated around the buffalo and Lucas was forced to abandon his hunt. The next day we saw another large male known locally as ‘Arthur’ on one of the large inland boulders. A melanistic leopard was spotted and photographed in Yala during our visit, but we were not lucky enough to see it.
Yala has no fewer than three ecosystems in very close proximity – almost like mountain ranges arranged horizontally instead of vertically. This means there is an especially rich variety of birds in the park. One of the oddities of Yala is that you regularly see terns and other ocean birds in an environment you do not normally associate with coasts. In addition, expect to see multiple species of kingfishers, storks, herons, hornbills, egrets, bee eaters, ibis, raptors, fowl, parakeets, cormorants, doves, waders plus many other species. You should see both Sri Lankan endemics and many migratory bird species that make landfall at Yala.
For accommodation, try the Wild Coast Tented Lodge, which is located just a couple of kilometres outside Yala’s main gate. The Lodge has a fleet of vehicles and highly qualified guides. As the name suggests, the Lodge is situated on a stretch of untamed coastline with no other hotels in sight. When you come back from safari you are served sundowners on the beach against the backdrop of huge waves crashing onto the rocks. On most days you can clearly see the Great Basses Reef Lighthouse some 13 kilometres away. Accommodation consists of luxuriously appointed cocoon-like tents complete with air conditioning, great showers, and excellent WIFI. The beds are super comfortable. The service is impeccable. The food – a broad selection of European and Sri Lankan specialities – is delicious. Dense vegetation and the absence of any fencing around the Lodge means that wild boars, elephants, monitors, langurs, and many bird species regularly visit the property. In fact, the wildlife is so abundant that the Lodge insists guests are accompanied by a guard when returning to the tents after dark.
For more details on the Wild Coast Tented Lodge see https://www.relaischateaux.com/us/sri-lanka/wildcoast-southern-province
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