Sri Lankan wildlife authorities have temporarily restricted tourist access to core areas of Yala National Park as severe drought conditions reduce water availability for wildlife.
The move strengthens earlier drought-related restrictions affecting protected areas, including previous campsite closures and accommodation controls covered by Sineth News.
Wildlife officials say animals need uninterrupted access to increasingly scarce water sources and that tourist activity in sensitive areas could add pressure during the drought.
Earlier campsite closures
Sri Lanka's Department of Wildlife Conservation previously closed campsites at Kumana and Gal Oya national parks because of the prevailing severe drought conditions.
At Kumana National Park, existing bookings for five campsites were cancelled:
- Ada Kumbuka I
- Ada Kumbuka II
- Gal Amuna
- Heraligaskara
- Moyakata
Further reservations for the affected campsites have been suspended until conditions improve.
At Gal Oya National Park, campsites associated with the Hathpotha entrance have also been closed, with existing bookings cancelled and new reservations suspended.
Yala accommodation and access limits
The drought had already affected future accommodation availability at Yala National Park, with tourist bungalows and campsites in Zones I and II withheld from the October raffle draw scheduled at the Department's head office on September 7, 2026.
The latest development concerns drought-affected core areas of Yala, where tourist access has been restricted to reduce disturbance while wildlife competes for limited water.
Temporary restriction
The restriction should not be described as the permanent closure of Yala National Park.
It is a temporary wildlife-management measure linked to severe water shortages, and reopening or easing restrictions will depend on changing weather and wildlife-management conditions.
The Department has said alternative dates will be offered to visitors whose reservations have been affected by earlier closures.