SriLanka, Aug. 29 -- Wildlife Department Director General Ranjan Marasinghe stated that the Yala National Park is severely affected by the prevailing El Nino situation. He said that the natural lifestyle of animals has changed due to the high temperature during the day rather than the lack of rain and that even if they somehow quench their thirst, the animals have felt the difficulty of enduring the heat.Wildlife

The Director General said the government has decided to close the Yala National Park from September 14 to October 15. Only Yala Block 1 will be closed, while Yala Blocks 2 and 3 will remain open for tourism. He said that the closure of Yala National Park every year has been a continuous process up until this time, and that the s...