Ussangoda National Park is a
Sri Lankan national park and designated archaeological site, situated on the
Colombo
Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...
–
Kataragama road near
Ambalantota –
Nonagama Junction in
Hambantota District. It is located in the southern
sea turtle
Sea turtles (superfamily Chelonioidea), sometimes called marine turtles, are reptiles of the order Testudines and of the suborder Cryptodira. The seven existing species of sea turtles are the flatback, green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead, ...
breeding
Breeding is sexual reproduction that produces offspring, usually animals or plants. It can only occur between a male and a female animal or plant.
Breeding may refer to:
* Animal husbandry, through selected specimens such as dogs, horses, and rab ...
zones. Ussangoda is a patch of high ground by the sea and spreads over a significant area. Unlike the rest of the land surrounding, it is only covered with grass and a few pockets of pigmy forests. The summit of Ussangoda area pans like a plateau for a significant length.
Geological and archaeological importance
Ussangoda is known for its unusual placement by
soil structure,
flora
Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' gut flora'' or '' skin flora''.
E ...
, and location. There are many folk stories related to this site which include different takes about the land. General belief is that it is a part of a
meteor
A meteoroid () is a small rocky or metallic body in outer space.
Meteoroids are defined as objects significantly smaller than asteroids, ranging in size from grains to objects up to a meter wide. Objects smaller than this are classified as micr ...
or a proximity to a meteor hit. The main rationale for this belief is the soils brick-like hard quality with a reddish colour which is unique to this patch of land. Some rocks and soil layers contain what some speculate to be remnants of an extreme heat (that can be caused by an event such as a meteor hit). It is also suspected that the soil has a high concentration of minerals/metals giving its unique colour. In several places, especially by the sea facing areas rocks and soil can be observed clearly having multiple layers usually with distinct colourization. It is however unclear whether these speculations have been tested in any proper scientific study at all. It can be also noticed that Ussangoda is located geographically closer to another archaeological site "Miniha Gal Kanda", where evidence for pre-historic human existence has been found.
The rock debris has high iron concentration. Magnets attract them.
Legend
There are several legends related to the area. The site is considered a sacred/forbidden ground for general affairs in local lore. One popular belief is that Ussangoda is a ground of the local demi-god "Mangara". Other beliefs range from religiously rooted backgrounds to the unwritten/alternate history related to Ravana. According to Hindu puranas, Ussangoda was one of the landing strips of Ravana's Pushpaka vimana.
Ussangoda National Park
Ussangoda National Park was created in 2010.
["National Parks". Department of Wildlife Conservation. Accessed 4 May 2020]
/ref> The objectives of establishing the new national park are providing long term protection for the area's biological, archaeological and geographical values.
References
{{National Parks of Sri Lanka
Geography of Hambantota District
Hambantota District
National parks of Sri Lanka
Populated places in Southern Province, Sri Lanka
Protected areas established in 2010
Protected areas in Southern Province, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka dry-zone dry evergreen forests