圣(sheng)盧西亞濕地。位于南(nan)(nan)非(fei)東海岸的(de)圣(sheng)盧西亞濕地,早(zao)在石器時代(dai)初期就(jiu)有(you)人類(lei)活動,其北部是(shi)斯(si)威士蘭和(he)莫(mo)桑比(bi)克(二者(zhe)均(jun)為(wei)非(fei)洲(zhou)(zhou)東南(nan)(nan)部國家)。1999年,這里被聯合國教科(ke)文組織(zhi)列為(wei)世界自然遺產。廣闊的(de)濕地、沙丘、海灘(tan)和(he)珊瑚礁均(jun)聞名于世,動物(wu)種類(lei)更(geng)是(shi)數(shu)不勝數(shu)。這里以擁有(you)自然界體(ti)積最(zui)龐(pang)大的(de)動物(wu)群而(er)聞名:既有(you)座頭鯨(jing)這樣的(de)大型(xing)海洋哺乳動物(wu),也有(you)大型(xing)的(de)陸地哺乳動物(wu)如非(fei)洲(zhou)(zhou)象(xiang)和(he)犀(xi)牛(niu)。圣(sheng)盧西亞濕地還是(shi)南(nan)(nan)非(fei)鱷(e)魚和(he)河馬的(de)故(gu)鄉,以及南(nan)(nan)非(fei)大的(de)棱皮龜和(he)野人頭龜的(de)繁(fan)衍棲息地,還是(shi)世界上(shang)黑(hei)犀(xi)牛(niu)分布(bu)密(mi)度(du)高的(de)地方。
圣(sheng)盧西亞濕(shi)地(di)(di)公園(yuan)(yuan)的(de)(de)植物種(zhong)類繁多,總計(ji)有152個科(ke),734個屬。南(nan)非31%的(de)(de)植物生長在這里,其(qi)中有一些是該公園(yuan)(yuan)所特有的(de)(de)植物,如以公園(yuan)(yuan)的(de)(de)名字(zi)命名的(de)(de)盧西亞高(gao)涼菜。該地(di)(di)區新發(fa)現了一種(zhong)似蘆薈(hui)的(de)(de)植物,但仍有待(dai)科(ke)學家們作進一步(bu)研究。根(gen)據(ju)圣(sheng)盧西亞濕(shi)地(di)(di)公園(yuan)(yuan)地(di)(di)形、濕(shi)度和(he)土(tu)壤(rang)條(tiao)件的(de)(de)不同(tong),各種(zhong)不同(tong)的(de)(de)植被群落類型--森(sen)林(lin)、灌木叢、林(lin)地(di)(di)、草地(di)(di)和(he)濕(shi)地(di)(di)--交(jiao)錯(cuo)分布,向人們展示(shi)著大自然(ran)的(de)(de)“鑲嵌(qian)藝術”。
濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)類(lei)型包(bao)括(kuo)內(nei)河(he)(he)、紙草(cao)(cao)(cao)(cao)沼澤(ze)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)、蘆葦鹽(yan)堿濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)、莎草(cao)(cao)(cao)(cao)沼澤(ze)、含鹽(yan)濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)和(he)(he)生長(chang)著大型植(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)的(de)水底層。其中內(nei)河(he)(he)及(ji)紙草(cao)(cao)(cao)(cao)沼澤(ze)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)大約覆(fu)蓋了公園(yuan)7,000公頃的(de)面積,這(zhe)(zhe)種規模在南非(fei)(fei)的(de)濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)保護區中首屈一(yi)指。含鹽(yan)濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)的(de)代表植(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)是(shi)孢(bao)子(zi)體、海蓬子(zi)屬(shu)和(he)(he)雀稗屬(shu)植(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)。草(cao)(cao)(cao)(cao)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)類(lei)型主要(yao)包(bao)括(kuo)沙灘上(shang)的(de)親水草(cao)(cao)(cao)(cao)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)、澇(lao)原、南非(fei)(fei)洲(zhou)棕櫚草(cao)(cao)(cao)(cao)原及(ji)三種分別生長(chang)在沙地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)、粘土(tu)和(he)(he)石質(zhi)土(tu)上(shang)的(de)草(cao)(cao)(cao)(cao)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)。林地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)由闊葉林、阿拉伯樹膠林、河(he)(he)邊樹林、欖仁樹和(he)(he)馬(ma)錢子(zi)混合林以及(ji)灌木(mu)構(gou)成(cheng),這(zhe)(zhe)里為(wei)食草(cao)(cao)(cao)(cao)動物(wu)(wu)(wu)提供了充(chong)足的(de)養料(liao)。朝海的(de)沙丘上(shang)是(shi)一(yi)些不易排(pai)水的(de)變形土(tu),生長(chang)著小(xiao)型葉、闊葉混合林及(ji)灌木(mu)叢,濃密的(de)灌木(mu)叢和(he)(he)盤(pan)旋交錯的(de)藤(teng)蔓是(shi)這(zhe)(zhe)里的(de)主要(yao)特色(se)。沼澤(ze)林占地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)3,095公頃,圣盧西(xi)(xi)亞湖邊的(de)沼澤(ze)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)當大雨(yu)過后會(hui)形成(cheng)潺(chan)潺(chan)流動的(de)小(xiao)河(he)(he)。比起陸地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)植(zhi)被,圣露西(xi)(xi)亞濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)公園(yuan)的(de)水生植(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)種類(lei)也毫不遜色(se)。據紀錄,水中生長(chang)著325種海藻類(lei)植(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)。
迄今為止,圣盧西亞(ya)濕地(di)公(gong)園的(de)(de)(de)昆蟲種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)類(lei)(lei)還沒有(you)完全被人(ren)(ren)類(lei)(lei)獲知(zhi)。但僅就掌握的(de)(de)(de)資料來看,這(zhe)(zhe)絕對是(shi)一個豐富多彩的(de)(de)(de)大千世界。196種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)蝴蝶、52種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)蜻蜓、139種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)金龜(gui)子科(ke)(ke)甲(jia)蟲、41種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)陸生(sheng)蝸牛… …其種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)類(lei)(lei)之(zhi)巨,令人(ren)(ren)嘆為觀止。生(sheng)活(huo)在(zai)(zai)(zai)海(hai)(hai)中(zhong)及(ji)(ji)河(he)口的(de)(de)(de)無脊椎(zhui)動(dong)(dong)物(wu)是(shi)公(gong)園里重要的(de)(de)(de)水(shui)生(sheng)動(dong)(dong)物(wu)族。據紀(ji)錄,這(zhe)(zhe)里共有(you)43種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)硬珊瑚蟲,10種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)軟(ruan)珊瑚蟲,珊瑚礁(jiao)也因其特有(you)的(de)(de)(de)保護和科(ke)(ke)學價值頗受人(ren)(ren)們青睞(lai)。圣露(lu)西亞(ya)濕地(di)公(gong)園還發現有(you)14種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)海(hai)(hai)綿動(dong)(dong)物(wu)、4種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)被囊動(dong)(dong)物(wu)和812種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)水(shui)生(sheng)軟(ruan)體(ti)動(dong)(dong)物(wu),西印(yin)度洋特有(you)的(de)(de)(de)暗礁(jiao)魚(yu)(yu)類(lei)(lei)中(zhong),85%棲(qi)(qi)息在(zai)(zai)(zai)這(zhe)(zhe)片水(shui)域。該公(gong)園有(you)6種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)淡水(shui)動(dong)(dong)物(wu)是(shi)世界范圍(wei)內的(de)(de)(de)瀕危物(wu)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),16種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)是(shi)國家級瀕危動(dong)(dong)物(wu),世界上大的(de)(de)(de)鯊(sha)魚(yu)(yu)--贊(zan)比西河(he)真鯊(sha)也棲(qi)(qi)息在(zai)(zai)(zai)這(zhe)(zhe)里。圣盧西亞(ya)濕地(di)公(gong)園以擁有(you)自然(ran)界體(ti)積龐大的(de)(de)(de)動(dong)(dong)物(wu)群而聞名于世,現存的(de)(de)(de)大海(hai)(hai)龜(gui)--棱(leng)皮龜(gui)、紅海(hai)(hai)龜(gui)、鯨(jing)魚(yu)(yu)、海(hai)(hai)豚、鯊(sha)魚(yu)(yu)、火烈鳥(niao)(形體(ti)似鶴)、各種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)涉(she)禽類(lei)(lei)鳥(niao)、塘鵝以及(ji)(ji)其他水(shui)鳥(niao)都棲(qi)(qi)息(或季節性棲(qi)(qi)息)在(zai)(zai)(zai)該地(di),著名的(de)(de)(de)尼羅河(he)鱷(e)魚(yu)(yu)也在(zai)(zai)(zai)這(zhe)(zhe)里安了家。
圣盧西(xi)亞濕地公園(yuan)現有(you)(you)50種(zhong)兩棲動(dong)物,108種(zhong)爬行(xing)動(dong)物(包(bao)括12種(zhong)海龜、53種(zhong)蛇、42種(zhong)蜥蜴(yi)和1種(zhong)鱷(e)魚(yu)),其中有(you)(you)5種(zhong)兩棲動(dong)物屬該地區特產,6種(zhong)爬行(xing)動(dong)物屬世界瀕危物種(zhong)。這里(li)更是一個五彩繽紛(fen)的鳥類(lei)樂園(yuan),有(you)(you)521種(zhong)鳥在這里(li)棲息(xi),其中單火烈鳥的數量就達到了50,000只。公園(yuan)里(li)的陸地和水(shui)生哺(bu)乳動(dong)物總計有(you)(you)129種(zhong),其中包(bao)括95只黑(hei)犀和150只白(bai)犀。