Prime Time To See Sloth Bears in Yala, Sri Lanka
Yala homes the only bear species found in the Sri Lankan wilderness, the Sri Lankan sloth bear ( Melursus ursinus inornatus ) which is a subspecies of sloth bear that’s native to Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan sloth bear population is highly threatened and consider as critically endangered due to habitat loss. The current bear population in the wild is a little higher than 500. Yala national park provides ample opportunities to see and photograph the Sri Lankan sloth bear in its native wild habitats. But the best chances to see bears are either during the rainy season or during the Palu season. Sloth bears love to eat termites that live inside termite mounds. They have to break the tough solid structure to put its long mouth in and suck termites off the mound. After the rain, this becomes easier for bears as the mound gets soaked and weakens its structural integrity. If you’re visiting Yala, and want to see bears, your chances will increase if you go in the rainy season, however, that might not