Ultra Modern Solar Power system for Sri Lanka's Yala National Park, Buthawa Wild Life Bungalow

29th January 2012, www.sundayobserver.lk, By M Nelson Piyaratne

Sri Lanka's first green energy system was declared open by the Wild Life Conservation and Agricultural Minister S.N. Chandrasena on Wednesday (25) at Buthawa Wild Life bungalow in Yala National Park.

This solar system was introduced to Sri Lanka by James Consulting (PVT) Ltd, NiceLux (PVT) with the partnership of Nawoo L.D.D. Incorporated in Korea.

This ultra modern solar power system is the only one of its kind in Sri Lanka and its special feature is that this solar panel needs only half an hour sunlight to get the batteries fully charged and the power lasts for four days.

In addition to supplying solar power to illuminate the bungalow the company has installed two street lamps with separate solar panels which change its direction according to the movement of the Sun.

So that regular solar power is absorbed to the panels without interruption.

The other special feature is that these street lamps react to the heat of the body and the movement of the objects so that automatically lamps give a brighter light if a vehicle or a wild elephant came within the ten metre radius of the lamps.

These street lamps are automatically switched on at the dusk and switches off at the dawn saving energy and money.These solar panels of the street lamps automatically come to a vertical position in the night allowing all the dust got collected in the day time to be cleaned up by the overnight falling of dew drops in the night. Minister Chandrasena said that he was thankful to Korean companies for installing this invaluable system in his tenure as the minister of Wild Life.

Managing Director of the Korean CompanyDavid Kim said that he was happy to install this system in Sri Lanka under the invitation of minister Chandrasena and they would like to co- work with Sri Lankan government to introduce this independent electrical system to isolated places of Sri Lanka where wired electricity system is expensive.

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Yala is God’s Patch of Land for Leopards Says World Renowned Wildlife Celebrities Jonathan & Angelina Scott of Sri Lanka's Yala National Park

21st July 2011, www.ft.lk

“If ever God created a patch of land for the leopards in this world, it must be Yala National Park in Sri Lanka” said the world renowned wild life celebrities Jonathan and Angelina Scott addressing the audience at a special event held to present their work on leopards at Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel on 09th July. Expressing their views on this Jonathan and Angie Scott further said that “In other wild life parks around the world, leopards are under the threat from predators like Lions and hyenas. But in Sri Lanka they don’t face such situation, they are free to move about and more secured in the wild than other leopards in the world “.

Sri Lanka’s Yala National Park is recognized of having one of the highest densities of leopard population in the world and this comment made by Jonathan and Angelina is certainly going to compliment this position held by the national park.

The two celebrities were touring in Sri Lanka for the first time and spent twelve days experience the Local culture, rich history and heritage of Sri Lanka and studying the Leopards of Sri Lanka at the Yala National park. Lead by the Head of Wild Life Tourism for John Keells Hotels Chitral Jayatilake and the Nature Trails team, Jonathan and Angela were able to make seventeen sightings of leopards in Yala and captured tremendous images of their behavior in the wild, which is said to be one of the best collection of leopard photographs ever taken in their natural environment. These photographs will no doubt showcase the most sought after animal of Sri Lanka in the wild as one of Sri Lanka’s tourism icons to the world.

Jonathan and Angie Scott live in Kenya in Africa and spend much of their time in the company of African wildlife. Their wildlife photography, wildlife pencil drawings, and wildlife books have won awards and recognition for their work throughout the world.

Big cats have been the focus of much of Jonathan and Angie’s work and the basis for a number of books including three titles accompanying the hugely popular BBC television series Big Cat Diary or Big Cat Week that Jonathan co-presents.

Angie takes the production stills for the series and is a game spotter.

John Keells Hotels together with Nations Trust Bank and American Express have organized the special event held for Jonathan & Angie Scott to present their work at Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo and share with the audience their latest film, shot in Africa about the secret leopard.

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• Newsweek Highlights Sri Lanka as a Luxury Tourist Destination for a Much Varied Holiday

Sri Lankan Beaches Can Attract a Large Number of Tourists. Elephant Reach Hotel near Yala National Park to Expand

07th December 2010, www.dailynews.lk, By Harshini Perera

Sri Lanka is an all inclusive tourist attraction which can be promoted by individual companies with Government assistance.

"Sri Lankan beaches are popular among Indian surfers and India will be a country that can attract a large number of tourists to the country," Elephant Reach Hotel Yala Director Malinga Fernando told Daily News Business.

"Sri Lanka is known as a budget destination among many tourists and we have to come out of that mentality. The tourism and leisure sector is connected with airlines, hotel chains and guides. Therefore, these sectors should be connected and given support by the Government," he said.

Elephant Reach has acquired a land and will expand the hotel to 50 rooms from 35 rooms with an investment of Rs 45 million.

In addition, a Spa will be set up from April next year as a tourist attraction. It has also acquired a 50 acre land close to Yala and will invest Rs 25 to 30 million on luxury camping and cottages for tourists in the future.

"The average stay of a tourist is limited to one or two days outside the Yala National Park and we need to increase their staying if we need to promote tourism in the area.

We expect to promote agro tourism to which the areas will be ideal," he said. There are many tourists coming from countries such as United Kingdom, Germany and Russia for safari tours.

"We had an 80 percent occupancy rate for this year," Fernando said.