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 It
is one of the island's best known and biggest wildlife reserves, encompassing
an area of 1300 square km (500 square miles). It is divided into Yala
West (Ruhunu National Park) and Yala East.
Ruhunu National Park has a diversity of jungle habitats ranging from
scrub jungle, tanks, brackish lagoons and riverside habitats. It is
considered the best park for viewing animals and birds. Animals include
the elephant, leopard, sloth bear, spotted deer, barking deer, mouse
deer, sambhur, grey langur, toque monkey, stripe-necked mongoose,
ruddy mongoose, wild pig, jackal, water monitor, marsh crocodile and
estuarine crocodile.
130 species of birds have been recorded. Bird life includes Sri Lanka
Jungle Fowl, Brown-capped Babbler, Stone Curlew, Greater Thick-knee,
Black-necked Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Painted Stork, Sirkeer Malkoha,
Blue-faced Malkoha, Green Bee-eater, Pompadour Green Pigeon, Blue-faced
Malkoha, Green Bee-eater, Orange-breasted Green Pigeon, Malabar Pied
Hornbill, Brahminya Myna and Rose-coloured Starling.
Yala East contains the Kumana Mangrove Swamp with a large variety
of water birds
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