One of the first national parks in Sri Lanka, Yala was designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1900, and a national park in 1938. Yala is an ideal place to spot the big four of Sri Lankan wildlife, the elephants, the sloth bear, the illusive leopard and the wild buffalo, the unsung denizen of the park, if nothing else dangerous to the extreme. About 32 species of mammals, 125 species of birds and many reptiles and lagoon fauna species have been recorded in the park. Sri Lankan leopards and elephants can be seen in Yala all year round. It is best to visit during the dry season which is from May to August.