Monday Sep 09, 2024
Monday Sep 09, 2024
Saturday, 23 August 2014 00:05 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Alas, we were proved very wrong!
After an early lunch, we went to the park, hoping that we would be one of the first to arrive there. We were sadly mistaken to find more than 70 jeeps already lined up, procuring entry permits. After managing to buy our tickets, we joined the queue as the jeeps drove one behind the other into the park, in a long convoy, along the main road. However, within 15-20 minutes of driving inside the park, and as we reached the numerous by-roads, one by one, the other jeeps turned off in different directions, and I was happy to note that we were now alone.
"Yala has been ruined by its own popularity. According to the DWC, in 2013 the park averaged visitors 10,000 to 15,000 per day. It is the most popular park in Sri Lanka, primarily because of its ‘leopard centricity’. There are some 350 jeep drivers operating in the area, most of whom have no experience or interest in wildlif"
Bone dry due to drought
It was sad to see the park so bone dry, suffocating in one of the worst droughts seen in the area. All the small water holes were dried up and I realised that animal sightings were going to be quite far and few between. We spent over an hour driving around the looping roads, seeing only crocodiles on the banks of the fast drying out water holes. Bird life also was very limited and we could not even locate any reasonable pugmarks of the illusive leopards.
However, soon cell phones began to ring, and news got around of a leopard sighting at the ‘round tank’ (raungwala) and reluctantly we also joined the mad rush to this small water hole. I was astonished to find more than 35 jeeps parked in all kinds of unusual positions around this small waterhole. It was like a circus, with everyone hanging out of the jeeps, peering in all directions and chattering away. Of course, the poor leopard, which had tried to quench its thirst, would now be far away from this unruly mob.
Disgusted with the scene, we moved back on to the main road, and we decided to go to the location where there had been a reported sambar carcass killed by a leopard recently. I was quite surprised to find that the carcass had been stashed on top of a tree branch (Sri Lankan leopards, being the apex predator in our eco system, normally do not have to go to such complex methods of hiding killed prey).
Of course by now, there were another 10-15 jeeps also in the area, disturbing the peace. Since the road along this area was on a bund leading to a dead end, there was the further complication of jeeps trying to pass each other and turn around. I realised that with all this chaos, no leopard, however hungry it would have been, would make an attempt to come back to the kill.
So, once again, we retreated and came across another circus, unfolding close to the main road, where a tired herd of elephants were trying to cross the road. Several jeeps were ‘herding’ the poor animals as they tried to regroup after crossing the road.
I was very saddened by what I had seen, and although I wanted to leave early, my jeep driver was adamant in doing a few more rounds, hoping to be lucky.
"It is sad to note that Yala, one of the oldest wildlife parks in the world and the best known in Sri Lanka, is beginning to be blacklisted when Sri Lanka tourism is taking great strides forward to become one of the world’s most sought-after environmentally-sustainable destinations"
Yala ruined by its popularity
Yala has been ruined by its own popularity. According to the DWC, in 2013 the park averaged visitors 10,000 to 15,000 per day. It is the most popular park in Sri Lanka, primarily because of its ‘leopard centricity’. There are some 350 jeep drivers operating in the area, most of whom have no experience or interest in wildlife, having gone into the business just to make a quick buck. These drivers are a law unto themselves within the park and the DWC is unable to implement any park rules, due to interference and patronage.
Unfortunately, part of the blame has to be placed on the rapid growth of tourism. With close to 1.5 m tourists expected this year to the island (out of which some 12-15% visit Yala) and more hotels and accommodation providers establishing themselves in the area, the problem has already gone beyond the point of no return in my view.
There has been no regulation to restrict new accommodation being built in Yala. The area reached over capacity many years ago, but there are still many rooms in the pipeline to be built. Already several tour operators are giving Yala a wide berth. While certainly the authorities have to put in urgent plans to stem the rot, there is much that the tourism industry itself can do, by self-regulation.
Repeated appeals to the industry to take some strong, concerted, collection action have mostly fallen on deaf ears. If the tour operators, destination management companies and the hotels in the area get-together and black list errant jeep drivers by not giving them business, it will be the most effective way that some respite can be provided to resolve this problem.
Environmental should take precedence
There are reports in the press that Yala will be closed during the month of October due to the drought. However, this is nothing new and this practice of closing the park during October has been in force for many years.
What is required is that if the drought is particularly bad, to close the park for a longer period, starting earlier than October. Keeping the park open purely due to tourism demand is not a good practice, when environmental issues should take precedence over tourism.
Paris-Dhaka rally
Dejected, with no further animal sightings, except for some bear footprints, I told my driver to start moving back toward the entrance gate with the time now close to 6:15 p.m. As we got on to the main road, the ‘crowning glory’ of Yala hit me with full force. It was the Paris-Dhaka rally in all its fury, with all the jeeps trying to beat each other to the gate, before the 6:30 p.m. deadline!
I saw jeeps overtaking each other on the narrow dusty roads, sometimes, creeping through on the wrong side, at break neck speed. The entire area was filled with dust and you could hardly make out the jeeps as they sped towards the main gate. Occupants covered their faces and clutched to any possible solid anchor to hold on, to prevent falling out. I shuddered to think what would happen to an unfortunate animal, who may decide to cross the road at this time.
There are already reports of several animals run down by ruthless and uncaring jeep divers. To the drivers, it was a game as they laughed and ‘revved’ their engines in the race to the main gate. It is only a matter of time, when there will be serious accident on this stretch of the road.
I am told that this scene is repeated day in and day out and the many guests I spoke to were quite disappointed with the whole experience.
It is, therefore, sad to note that one of the oldest wildlife parks in the world and the best known in Sri Lanka is beginning to be blacklisted, when Sri Lanka tourism is taking great strides forward to become one of the world’s most sought-after environmentally-sustainable destinations.
Pix by Srilal Miththapala
and Chamara Amarasinghe
