Mystery behind Ussangoda National Park - Sri Lanka

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.

On the great Southern road just before you reach Ambalanthota the name board Ussangoda will no doubt attract your attention. The road turns seawards and after a few minutes’ drive and a climb uphill you reach a peculiar landscape shrouded in mystery and yet to be properly explored.

In Hindu mythology, Ussangoda is believed to be the place where King Ravana lands his peacock chariot (Air Machine).

The landscape that greets you is weird and wonderful. The vast land that extends on all sides has hardly any tall trees and is covered by a short grass or moss. In some places well defined circular islands of vegetation can be seen but these do not include any tall trees. The earth is of a dark red color, giving the landscape a Martian look and the area is popularly believed to be bestowed with strange and mystical powers. Many are the legends and stories told of it.

It is believed by some that anciently a meteoroid had fallen here, which explains the barren nature of the soil and the peculiar vegetation growth patterns.

According to a man living in the vicinity this peculiar land attracts many small wild animals and a variety of birds and is also a refuge for rare medicinal plants.

From here a track also leads to the sea coast and suddenly you find yourself standing at the edge of a cliff of red earth looking down over miles of beach and the sea with its deep turquoise waters, boisterous blue waves and frothy white foam. A charming picture of freedom that is nature at its best

Ussangoda is an important breeding ground for sea turtles 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.