圣(sheng)(sheng)盧西(xi)亞濕(shi)(shi)地(di)。位于(yu)南非東海岸的圣(sheng)(sheng)盧西(xi)亞濕(shi)(shi)地(di),早在石器時代初(chu)期就有人類活動,其(qi)北部是(shi)(shi)斯威(wei)士(shi)蘭(lan)和(he)莫桑比(bi)克(二者均為(wei)非洲東南部國家)。1999年,這里被聯合國教科文組織列為(wei)世界自然遺(yi)產(chan)。廣闊的濕(shi)(shi)地(di)、沙(sha)丘、海灘和(he)珊瑚礁均聞名于(yu)世,動物(wu)種類更是(shi)(shi)數(shu)不勝數(shu)。這里以(yi)擁有自然界體積最龐大(da)的動物(wu)群(qun)而聞名:既有座(zuo)頭鯨這樣的大(da)型海洋哺乳(ru)動物(wu),也(ye)有大(da)型的陸(lu)地(di)哺乳(ru)動物(wu)如非洲象和(he)犀(xi)牛。圣(sheng)(sheng)盧西(xi)亞濕(shi)(shi)地(di)還是(shi)(shi)南非鱷魚和(he)河馬的故鄉(xiang),以(yi)及南非大(da)的棱(leng)皮(pi)龜和(he)野人頭龜的繁(fan)衍棲息地(di),還是(shi)(shi)世界上黑(hei)犀(xi)牛分布密(mi)度高的地(di)方。
圣盧西亞(ya)濕(shi)地(di)公(gong)(gong)園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)的(de)(de)(de)(de)植(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)種類(lei)繁多,總(zong)計有152個科(ke),734個屬(shu)。南非(fei)31%的(de)(de)(de)(de)植(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)生長在這(zhe)里,其中有一(yi)(yi)些是該公(gong)(gong)園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)所特有的(de)(de)(de)(de)植(zhi)(zhi)物(wu),如以公(gong)(gong)園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)的(de)(de)(de)(de)名字命名的(de)(de)(de)(de)盧西亞(ya)高涼菜。該地(di)區新發現(xian)了一(yi)(yi)種似(si)蘆(lu)薈的(de)(de)(de)(de)植(zhi)(zhi)物(wu),但仍有待科(ke)學家們(men)作進一(yi)(yi)步研究。根據圣盧西亞(ya)濕(shi)地(di)公(gong)(gong)園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)地(di)形、濕(shi)度(du)和土壤(rang)條件的(de)(de)(de)(de)不同,各種不同的(de)(de)(de)(de)植(zhi)(zhi)被群(qun)落類(lei)型--森林、灌木叢(cong)、林地(di)、草地(di)和濕(shi)地(di)--交錯分布(bu),向人們(men)展示著大自然的(de)(de)(de)(de)“鑲嵌藝術”。
濕地(di)(di)(di)(di)類(lei)型包括內河、紙(zhi)(zhi)草(cao)(cao)沼澤(ze)地(di)(di)(di)(di)、蘆葦鹽(yan)堿(jian)濕地(di)(di)(di)(di)、莎草(cao)(cao)沼澤(ze)、含鹽(yan)濕地(di)(di)(di)(di)和(he)(he)生長著大型植物(wu)的(de)(de)水(shui)(shui)底層。其中內河及(ji)紙(zhi)(zhi)草(cao)(cao)沼澤(ze)地(di)(di)(di)(di)大約(yue)覆蓋了公園(yuan)7,000公頃的(de)(de)面積,這(zhe)種(zhong)(zhong)規模(mo)在(zai)南非(fei)的(de)(de)濕地(di)(di)(di)(di)保護(hu)區中首(shou)屈一指。含鹽(yan)濕地(di)(di)(di)(di)的(de)(de)代表植物(wu)是(shi)孢子(zi)(zi)(zi)體、海蓬(peng)子(zi)(zi)(zi)屬和(he)(he)雀(que)稗(bai)屬植物(wu)。草(cao)(cao)地(di)(di)(di)(di)類(lei)型主要包括沙灘上(shang)的(de)(de)親水(shui)(shui)草(cao)(cao)地(di)(di)(di)(di)、澇原、南非(fei)洲棕櫚草(cao)(cao)原及(ji)三種(zhong)(zhong)分別生長在(zai)沙地(di)(di)(di)(di)、粘土(tu)和(he)(he)石質土(tu)上(shang)的(de)(de)草(cao)(cao)地(di)(di)(di)(di)。林(lin)地(di)(di)(di)(di)由闊葉(xie)林(lin)、阿拉(la)伯樹(shu)(shu)膠林(lin)、河邊樹(shu)(shu)林(lin)、欖(lan)仁(ren)樹(shu)(shu)和(he)(he)馬(ma)錢子(zi)(zi)(zi)混合林(lin)以及(ji)灌木(mu)構成,這(zhe)里為食草(cao)(cao)動(dong)物(wu)提供(gong)了充足的(de)(de)養(yang)料。朝海的(de)(de)沙丘(qiu)上(shang)是(shi)一些不易排水(shui)(shui)的(de)(de)變形(xing)土(tu),生長著小型葉(xie)、闊葉(xie)混合林(lin)及(ji)灌木(mu)叢,濃(nong)密(mi)的(de)(de)灌木(mu)叢和(he)(he)盤旋交錯的(de)(de)藤蔓是(shi)這(zhe)里的(de)(de)主要特色(se)。沼澤(ze)林(lin)占(zhan)地(di)(di)(di)(di)3,095公頃,圣盧西亞湖邊的(de)(de)沼澤(ze)地(di)(di)(di)(di)當大雨過后會形(xing)成潺潺流動(dong)的(de)(de)小河。比起陸(lu)地(di)(di)(di)(di)植被(bei),圣露西亞濕地(di)(di)(di)(di)公園(yuan)的(de)(de)水(shui)(shui)生植物(wu)種(zhong)(zhong)類(lei)也毫(hao)不遜色(se)。據(ju)紀錄,水(shui)(shui)中生長著325種(zhong)(zhong)海藻類(lei)植物(wu)。
迄今為止(zhi)(zhi),圣盧西(xi)亞(ya)濕地公(gong)園的(de)(de)昆蟲(chong)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)類(lei)還(huan)沒有(you)完全被人類(lei)獲知。但僅就掌握的(de)(de)資(zi)料來(lai)看,這(zhe)絕對是(shi)(shi)一個豐(feng)富多彩的(de)(de)大千(qian)世(shi)(shi)界。196種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)蝴蝶、52種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)蜻蜓、139種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)金(jin)龜子科(ke)甲蟲(chong)、41種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)陸生蝸牛(niu)… …其(qi)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)類(lei)之巨,令人嘆為觀(guan)止(zhi)(zhi)。生活在海中及(ji)(ji)河(he)(he)口的(de)(de)無脊椎動物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)是(shi)(shi)公(gong)園里(li)(li)重要(yao)的(de)(de)水(shui)生動物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)族。據紀錄,這(zhe)里(li)(li)共有(you)43種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)硬珊瑚蟲(chong),10種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)軟(ruan)珊瑚蟲(chong),珊瑚礁也(ye)(ye)因其(qi)特(te)(te)有(you)的(de)(de)保護(hu)和(he)科(ke)學價值頗(po)受人們青睞(lai)。圣露西(xi)亞(ya)濕地公(gong)園還(huan)發現(xian)有(you)14種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)海綿動物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)、4種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)被囊動物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)和(he)812種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)水(shui)生軟(ruan)體(ti)動物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu),西(xi)印度(du)洋特(te)(te)有(you)的(de)(de)暗礁魚(yu)類(lei)中,85%棲息在這(zhe)片水(shui)域。該(gai)公(gong)園有(you)6種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)淡水(shui)動物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)是(shi)(shi)世(shi)(shi)界范(fan)圍(wei)內的(de)(de)瀕危物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),16種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)是(shi)(shi)國家級瀕危動物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu),世(shi)(shi)界上大的(de)(de)鯊(sha)魚(yu)--贊比西(xi)河(he)(he)真鯊(sha)也(ye)(ye)棲息在這(zhe)里(li)(li)。圣盧西(xi)亞(ya)濕地公(gong)園以(yi)擁有(you)自然界體(ti)積(ji)龐大的(de)(de)動物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)群而聞名(ming)于世(shi)(shi),現(xian)存(cun)的(de)(de)大海龜--棱(leng)皮龜、紅海龜、鯨魚(yu)、海豚、鯊(sha)魚(yu)、火烈(lie)鳥(niao)(niao)(形(xing)體(ti)似(si)鶴(he))、各種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)涉禽類(lei)鳥(niao)(niao)、塘鵝以(yi)及(ji)(ji)其(qi)他水(shui)鳥(niao)(niao)都棲息(或季節性棲息)在該(gai)地,著(zhu)名(ming)的(de)(de)尼羅(luo)河(he)(he)鱷(e)魚(yu)也(ye)(ye)在這(zhe)里(li)(li)安了家。
圣盧西亞濕地公園(yuan)現有50種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)兩棲(qi)動(dong)(dong)物(wu),108種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)爬行(xing)動(dong)(dong)物(wu)(包括12種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)海(hai)龜(gui)、53種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)蛇、42種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)蜥蜴(yi)和1種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)鱷(e)魚),其(qi)中(zhong)有5種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)兩棲(qi)動(dong)(dong)物(wu)屬該地區特產,6種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)爬行(xing)動(dong)(dong)物(wu)屬世界瀕危物(wu)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)。這(zhe)里更是一個五彩繽(bin)紛的(de)鳥(niao)類(lei)樂園(yuan),有521種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)鳥(niao)在(zai)這(zhe)里棲(qi)息,其(qi)中(zhong)單火(huo)烈鳥(niao)的(de)數(shu)量就(jiu)達到了50,000只(zhi)。公園(yuan)里的(de)陸地和水生哺(bu)乳動(dong)(dong)物(wu)總計有129種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),其(qi)中(zhong)包括95只(zhi)黑犀和150只(zhi)白犀。