Safari Jeep owners at the Yala national park launched a protest this morning demanding unhindered access to the wildlife park. 

The protest came in the wake of moves by the park authorities to limit the number of jeeps entering into the national park, home to some of most endangered animals in the country. 

The authorities said only 100 jeeps would be allowed in the morning and another 100 would be allowed in the evening. 

The new regulation earned praised from environmentalists and wildlife lovers as it was a bold move in the direction of conservation. 

Yala Safari Jeep drivers are now protesting, demanding authorities to reverse this decision and grant them maximum access to the park. 

Commenting on the matter, a former senior official at the Department of Wildlife said the conduct of Safari Jeep drivers at Yala was akin to that of a mafia. 

He described the protest as 'shameless' saying the Jeep owners were demanding open license to destroy one of Sri Lanka's main wildlife parks. 

"More regulations are certainly needed to protect the park. For instance, no Jeep should be allowed to enter into the park unless it's 80 percent occupied," he explained. 

Yala is considered the country's most overcrowded wildlife park.