Forest lands surrounding Yala National Park unlawfully cleared

• Land clearance poses threat to wild animals’ movement  

Controversy surrounds the increased clearance of forest  lands that surround the buffer zone of Yala National Park for  cultivation activities and tourism.  

The Department of Wildlife Conservation exercises control  over the landmass that belongs to the Park and two adjoining  sanctuaries- Katagamuwa and Nimalawa. Abutting the Park is the buffer  zone and beyond that is the forest lands which come under the purview  of the Department of Forest Conservation.  

An official of the Wildlife Conservation Department told  Daily Mirror that people tend to secure forest lands surrounding the  Park on lease conditions in the guise of cultivating them. Afterwards,  the official who spoke on condition of anonymity since he is not  authorised to talk to the press said such lands are used as camping  sites and other tourism-related purposes posing a threat to the movements  of wild animals. The surge in tourist arrivals has triggered demand for  land in the area.  

“Electric fences are put up. Then, it aggravates human-elephant conflict. Wild animals naturally cannot distinguish between  lands belonging to the wildlife authorities and the Forest Department.  

Therefore, it poses a threat to their free movements,” he said.  

In the meantime, there was social media outcry after a  plantation of Kohomba trees noted for their drought-resistance located  near the Yala National Park has been cleared.  
The plantation is located at least 3.5 kilometres outside  the park. The official said it is not even in the buffer zone of the  park and therefore the wildlife conservation authorities have no  involvement in the case.  

Yet, an official of the Department of Forest Conservation said legal action had been instituted against a number of crimes.   

Sri Lanka currently has made plans to increase its forest cover to 32 per cent.