Sri Lanka Leopard Safari – Should All Vehicles in Yala Have Speed Limiters Fitted?
Published on: July 15, 2021
Blog about a Leopard Safari in Yala and the problems with excessive vehicle speed in Yala National Park. Can we continue to allow jeeps to travel at excessive speeds in Yala National Park, while their occupants ‘chase’ Leopards without showing any respect for the wildlife they are visiting? Is this type of Sri Lanka Leopard Safari good for visitors or wildlife?
What’s the problem at Yala national park?
If you take a wildlife safari through many of Sri Lanka’s or India’s National Parks, you will be struck by many similarities when it comes to the behaviour of drivers and guides. Nearly all of them drive far too fast for the conditions of the road; the safety of their occupants, and the safety of the wildlife. There can be no greater pain felt to a genuine lover of wild animals, than to see one killed (as has happened to both Tigers in India and Leopards in Sri lanka) by a speeding vehicle. This type of event is competely avoidable with proper park rules that are actually enforced, rather than ignored. I would love to see ‘speed limitors’ in all of the jeeps inside the parks, in an effort to avoid the senseless killing of wildlife in such a tragic manner. Read this recent report by the BBC with regard to speeding vehicles inside Yala National Park.
What’s the solution?
How can we avoid some of these problems? By choosing an operator who cares about the future of these parks and is contributing on the ground to ‘real’ projects that make a difference to both local communities and the resident wildlife. We would still encourage our clients to visit Yala, a real gem of a park located in a country rich in culture and wildlife, but avoid weekends and major holidays to ensure a quieter and more enjoyable experience; and most importantly book through a responsible tour operator – Wildlife Trails has won awards from Tour operators for tigers for its ethical approach to tiger safaris in India and it’s hands on approach to working with local villages who are located next to the national parks. Check out our Sri Lanka Leopard Safaris, for a chance to see them in the wild and contribute towards their conservation.
