圣(sheng)盧(lu)西亞(ya)濕地(di)。位于(yu)南(nan)非(fei)(fei)東海岸的(de)圣(sheng)盧(lu)西亞(ya)濕地(di),早在石(shi)器時代初期就(jiu)有(you)人(ren)類(lei)活動(dong)(dong),其北(bei)部是(shi)斯威士(shi)蘭和莫桑比克(二者均為非(fei)(fei)洲(zhou)東南(nan)部國(guo)家)。1999年,這里被聯合國(guo)教科(ke)文組織列為世(shi)界自然遺產。廣闊(kuo)的(de)濕地(di)、沙(sha)丘、海灘和珊瑚(hu)礁均聞名(ming)于(yu)世(shi),動(dong)(dong)物(wu)種類(lei)更是(shi)數不勝數。這里以擁(yong)有(you)自然界體(ti)積最龐大(da)的(de)動(dong)(dong)物(wu)群(qun)而聞名(ming):既有(you)座頭(tou)鯨這樣的(de)大(da)型(xing)(xing)海洋哺乳(ru)動(dong)(dong)物(wu),也有(you)大(da)型(xing)(xing)的(de)陸地(di)哺乳(ru)動(dong)(dong)物(wu)如(ru)非(fei)(fei)洲(zhou)象和犀牛(niu)。圣(sheng)盧(lu)西亞(ya)濕地(di)還是(shi)南(nan)非(fei)(fei)鱷魚和河馬的(de)故鄉,以及南(nan)非(fei)(fei)大(da)的(de)棱皮龜和野人(ren)頭(tou)龜的(de)繁衍棲息地(di),還是(shi)世(shi)界上黑犀牛(niu)分(fen)布密度高的(de)地(di)方(fang)。
圣盧西亞濕(shi)地(di)公(gong)園(yuan)(yuan)的(de)植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)種類繁多,總計有(you)152個(ge)科,734個(ge)屬。南非31%的(de)植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)生(sheng)長在(zai)這(zhe)里,其中有(you)一些是該(gai)(gai)公(gong)園(yuan)(yuan)所特有(you)的(de)植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu),如以公(gong)園(yuan)(yuan)的(de)名字(zi)命名的(de)盧西亞高涼菜(cai)。該(gai)(gai)地(di)區新發現了一種似蘆薈的(de)植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu),但仍有(you)待科學家們作進一步研究(jiu)。根據圣盧西亞濕(shi)地(di)公(gong)園(yuan)(yuan)地(di)形(xing)、濕(shi)度和土壤條件(jian)的(de)不(bu)同(tong),各種不(bu)同(tong)的(de)植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)被(bei)群落類型--森林、灌木叢、林地(di)、草(cao)地(di)和濕(shi)地(di)--交錯分布(bu),向人們展示著(zhu)大自然(ran)的(de)“鑲嵌藝術”。
濕地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)類型包括內河(he)(he)、紙草(cao)沼(zhao)(zhao)澤(ze)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)、蘆(lu)葦鹽(yan)堿(jian)濕地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)、莎(sha)草(cao)沼(zhao)(zhao)澤(ze)、含(han)鹽(yan)濕地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)和(he)生(sheng)長著大(da)(da)型植物的(de)(de)(de)水(shui)底層。其中(zhong)內河(he)(he)及(ji)紙草(cao)沼(zhao)(zhao)澤(ze)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)大(da)(da)約覆蓋了公(gong)(gong)園(yuan)7,000公(gong)(gong)頃(qing)的(de)(de)(de)面(mian)積(ji),這種規模在南非(fei)的(de)(de)(de)濕地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)保護區中(zhong)首(shou)屈一指。含(han)鹽(yan)濕地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)的(de)(de)(de)代表植物是孢子體、海蓬子屬和(he)雀稗屬植物。草(cao)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)類型主(zhu)要(yao)包括沙(sha)灘上的(de)(de)(de)親水(shui)草(cao)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)、澇原(yuan)、南非(fei)洲棕櫚草(cao)原(yuan)及(ji)三種分(fen)別生(sheng)長在沙(sha)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)、粘土(tu)和(he)石質(zhi)土(tu)上的(de)(de)(de)草(cao)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)。林(lin)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)由闊葉(xie)(xie)林(lin)、阿拉(la)伯樹膠林(lin)、河(he)(he)邊樹林(lin)、欖(lan)仁樹和(he)馬錢子混(hun)合林(lin)以及(ji)灌(guan)木構成,這里(li)(li)為食草(cao)動物提供了充足(zu)的(de)(de)(de)養料(liao)。朝海的(de)(de)(de)沙(sha)丘上是一些不(bu)易排水(shui)的(de)(de)(de)變形(xing)(xing)土(tu),生(sheng)長著小(xiao)型葉(xie)(xie)、闊葉(xie)(xie)混(hun)合林(lin)及(ji)灌(guan)木叢,濃密的(de)(de)(de)灌(guan)木叢和(he)盤(pan)旋交錯的(de)(de)(de)藤(teng)蔓是這里(li)(li)的(de)(de)(de)主(zhu)要(yao)特色(se)。沼(zhao)(zhao)澤(ze)林(lin)占地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)3,095公(gong)(gong)頃(qing),圣(sheng)盧西(xi)(xi)亞湖邊的(de)(de)(de)沼(zhao)(zhao)澤(ze)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)當大(da)(da)雨過后會形(xing)(xing)成潺潺流動的(de)(de)(de)小(xiao)河(he)(he)。比起(qi)陸地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)植被(bei),圣(sheng)露西(xi)(xi)亞濕地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)公(gong)(gong)園(yuan)的(de)(de)(de)水(shui)生(sheng)植物種類也(ye)毫不(bu)遜色(se)。據紀錄,水(shui)中(zhong)生(sheng)長著325種海藻類植物。
迄(qi)今(jin)為止,圣(sheng)盧西(xi)(xi)(xi)亞濕地(di)(di)公園的(de)(de)昆蟲(chong)(chong)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)類(lei)(lei)還(huan)沒有(you)(you)完全被人(ren)類(lei)(lei)獲知。但僅就掌握的(de)(de)資料來看,這(zhe)(zhe)絕對(dui)是(shi)一個豐富多(duo)彩的(de)(de)大千世(shi)界(jie)。196種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)蝴蝶、52種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)蜻蜓、139種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)金龜(gui)子科甲蟲(chong)(chong)、41種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)陸生(sheng)蝸牛… …其種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)類(lei)(lei)之巨,令人(ren)嘆為觀止。生(sheng)活在(zai)海中及河口的(de)(de)無脊椎動物(wu)(wu)是(shi)公園里(li)重要的(de)(de)水(shui)(shui)生(sheng)動物(wu)(wu)族。據(ju)紀錄,這(zhe)(zhe)里(li)共有(you)(you)43種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)硬珊(shan)瑚(hu)蟲(chong)(chong),10種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)軟(ruan)珊(shan)瑚(hu)蟲(chong)(chong),珊(shan)瑚(hu)礁(jiao)也因其特(te)有(you)(you)的(de)(de)保護和(he)科學價值頗(po)受人(ren)們青睞。圣(sheng)露(lu)西(xi)(xi)(xi)亞濕地(di)(di)公園還(huan)發現有(you)(you)14種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)海綿動物(wu)(wu)、4種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)被囊動物(wu)(wu)和(he)812種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)水(shui)(shui)生(sheng)軟(ruan)體動物(wu)(wu),西(xi)(xi)(xi)印(yin)度洋特(te)有(you)(you)的(de)(de)暗礁(jiao)魚類(lei)(lei)中,85%棲(qi)息(xi)在(zai)這(zhe)(zhe)片水(shui)(shui)域。該公園有(you)(you)6種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)淡水(shui)(shui)動物(wu)(wu)是(shi)世(shi)界(jie)范圍內的(de)(de)瀕(bin)危物(wu)(wu)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),16種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)是(shi)國家級瀕(bin)危動物(wu)(wu),世(shi)界(jie)上大的(de)(de)鯊(sha)魚--贊(zan)比(bi)西(xi)(xi)(xi)河真鯊(sha)也棲(qi)息(xi)在(zai)這(zhe)(zhe)里(li)。圣(sheng)盧西(xi)(xi)(xi)亞濕地(di)(di)公園以擁有(you)(you)自然(ran)界(jie)體積(ji)龐大的(de)(de)動物(wu)(wu)群而聞名于(yu)世(shi),現存的(de)(de)大海龜(gui)--棱(leng)皮龜(gui)、紅海龜(gui)、鯨魚、海豚(tun)、鯊(sha)魚、火烈鳥(形體似鶴)、各種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)涉(she)禽類(lei)(lei)鳥、塘(tang)鵝以及其他水(shui)(shui)鳥都(dou)棲(qi)息(xi)(或(huo)季節性棲(qi)息(xi))在(zai)該地(di)(di),著名的(de)(de)尼羅河鱷魚也在(zai)這(zhe)(zhe)里(li)安了家。
圣盧西亞(ya)濕地公園(yuan)現有50種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)兩棲(qi)動(dong)(dong)物(wu)(wu),108種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)爬行動(dong)(dong)物(wu)(wu)(包括12種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)海龜(gui)、53種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)蛇、42種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)蜥蜴和(he)1種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)鱷魚),其中有5種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)兩棲(qi)動(dong)(dong)物(wu)(wu)屬該(gai)地區特產,6種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)爬行動(dong)(dong)物(wu)(wu)屬世界瀕危(wei)物(wu)(wu)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)。這里(li)(li)更是一個五彩繽紛的(de)鳥(niao)(niao)類樂園(yuan),有521種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)鳥(niao)(niao)在這里(li)(li)棲(qi)息,其中單火(huo)烈鳥(niao)(niao)的(de)數(shu)量就達到(dao)了50,000只(zhi)。公園(yuan)里(li)(li)的(de)陸地和(he)水(shui)生哺乳動(dong)(dong)物(wu)(wu)總計(ji)有129種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),其中包括95只(zhi)黑犀和(he)150只(zhi)白犀。