Proceedings of the Annual Sessions WILDLANKA International Symposium – 2019

VIEWS AND ATTITUDES OF SAFARI JEEP DRIVERS ON TRAFFIC CONGESTION

AND POSSIBLE MITIGATION MEASURES IN THE YALA NATIONAL PARK
(BLOCK 1), SRI LANKA

A. M. C. P. ATHTHANAYAKA1*, D. P. SIYASINGHE1 and T.G.S.L. PRAKASH2

1
Department of Wildlife Conservation, No. 811/A, Jayanthipura Main Rd, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka
2
Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, University of Sri Jayewardenepura,Sri Lanka

* amcpaththanayaka@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Yala National Park (block 1) is the most visited National Park (NP) in Sri Lanka and thousands of
wildlife enthusiasts, both local and foreign, visit the NP annually. However, heavy traffic
congestion inside the NP was identified as one of the major reasons for tourist discontent.
Therefore, this study attempted to examine the views and attitudes of safari jeep drivers on traffic
congestion and possible mitigation measures in order to ensure sustainable development of
tourism and conservation of wildlife in the NP. The random sampling method was used to select
responding safari jeep drivers (n=73) and data collection was done through a pretested self-
administered questionnaire survey. Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis was done with
Microsoft Excel 2010 and SPSS v.18.

The respondents’ mean age was 32 (SD ±9) years and mean working experience was 9 (SD ±7)
years. The majority of 47% attended school up to the ordinary level and 85% accepted that there
was heavy traffic congestion inside NP. Suggested mitigation measures by the safari jeep drivers
in descending order are: spreading the road network, directing more visitors to blocks 2, 3, 4 and
5, banning mobile phone use inside the NP, compulsorily sending a wildlife guide with each and
every safari vehicle, introducing minimum and maximum passenger limits for safari jeeps,
limiting the time spent in places where rare and/or charismatic animals are sighted, limiting the
vehicles entering into the NP, further dividing block 1 into zones and restricting access to one
zone during busy periods, sending safari vehicles according to a timetable, one-way driving,
strengthening wildlife officials for firm implementation of park rules and code of conducts,
rehabilitating and proper maintenance of the road network, developing attitudes and skills of
safari jeep drivers, and frequent patrols by wildlife officers.

The authors propose rapid implementation of mitigation measures identified by this study in to
ensure both sustainability of tourism satisfaction and wildlife conservation in Yala NP.

KEY WORDS: ecotourism, overcrowding, satisfaction, wildlife conservation, wildlife tourism