The Director-General of Wildlife has decided to blacklist the SUVs and those who rode them in a reckless manner inside the Yala National Park.

These individuals will also be barred from entering any wildlife national park in Sri Lanka for three years, the Ministry of Wildlife said.

Earlier today, the Secretary to the Ministry of Wildlife announced th’ the park officials and 07 safari tour guides who accompanied a group of individuals involved in reckless driving inside the Yala National Park have been suspended over the failure to control the situation.

On the directives of the Minister of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation Mahinda Amaraweera, the park officers and the safari tour guides in question were suspended until the investigations into the incident are concluded.

On Monday (Oct. 24), the Department of Wildlife vowed legal action against the group of individuals who operated a fleet of SUVs, harming wild animals inside the Yala National Park.

The incident came to light after a video showing a fleet of vehicles entering the national park and misbehaving went viral on social media.

Subsequently, Minister Amaraweera instructed the Director General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation Chandana Sooriyabandara to take immediate legal action regarding those involved in the incident.

The Wildlife Department said it is in possession of information about the persons who acted in such a manner, including their National Identity Card (NIC) numbers, addresses and vehicle numbers as well as all evidence th’ prove their improper behaviour.

Accordingly, Minister Amaraweera has given directives to the ministerial secretary to inform the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) in writing to arrest the group of individuals who were involved in reckless driving inside the Yala N’ional Park regardless of their ranks and status.