Ussangoda National Park
Encyclopedia
Ussangoda National Park is the newest and the 21st national park
in Sri Lanka
. The objectives of establishing the new national park are providing long term protection for the area's biological, archaeological and geographical values. The park borders the Kalametiya Wildlife Sanctuary in the east.
In Hindu mythology, Ussangoda is believed to be the place where King Ravana
lands his peacock chariot
. Ussangoda is an important breeding ground for sea turtle
s and covers both land and sea areas. The red earth forms the soil of the area and the stunted vegetation is a feature resulted by heavy sea breeze. There are several archaeological sites of the origins in the pre-historic times also. The explanation for red soil is a high concentration of Ferric oxide
in the area. Ussangoda is one of the four serpentine sites
in Sri Lanka. The area is proposed to be designated as a Geopark
originally. However due to the area's biodiversity and other important features such as archaeological and geographical values instead Ussangoda had been declared a national park.
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. The objectives of establishing the new national park are providing long term protection for the area's biological, archaeological and geographical values. The park borders the Kalametiya Wildlife Sanctuary in the east.
In Hindu mythology, Ussangoda is believed to be the place where King Ravana
Ravana
' is the primary antagonist character of the Hindu legend, the Ramayana; who is the great king of Lanka. In the classic text, he is mainly depicted negatively, kidnapping Rama's wife Sita, to claim vengeance on Rama and his brother Lakshmana for having cut off the nose of his sister...
lands his peacock chariot
Dandu Monara
Dandu Monara was a flying machine built by King Ravana . According to Hindu beliefs as told in the epic tale Ramayana, King Ravana used the "Dandu Monara" to abduct Queen Sita from Rama....
. Ussangoda is an important breeding ground for sea turtle
Sea turtle
Sea turtles are marine reptiles that inhabit all of the world's oceans except the Arctic.-Distribution:...
s and covers both land and sea areas. The red earth forms the soil of the area and the stunted vegetation is a feature resulted by heavy sea breeze. There are several archaeological sites of the origins in the pre-historic times also. The explanation for red soil is a high concentration of Ferric oxide
Iron(III) oxide
Iron oxide or ferric oxide is the inorganic compound with the formula Fe2O3. It is one of the three main oxides of iron, the other two being iron oxide , which is rare, and iron oxide , which also occurs naturally as the mineral magnetite. As the mineral known as hematite, Fe2O3 is the main...
in the area. Ussangoda is one of the four serpentine sites
Serpentine soil
A serpentine soil is derived from ultramafic rocks, in particular serpentinite, a rock formed by the hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle....
in Sri Lanka. The area is proposed to be designated as a Geopark
Geopark
A Geopark is defined by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in its UNESCO Geoparks International Network of Geoparks programme as follows:...
originally. However due to the area's biodiversity and other important features such as archaeological and geographical values instead Ussangoda had been declared a national park.