圣盧西亞濕地(di)(di)。位于南非東海岸的(de)圣盧西亞濕地(di)(di),早在石(shi)器時代(dai)初(chu)期就有(you)人(ren)(ren)類(lei)活動,其北部(bu)是斯(si)威士蘭和(he)莫桑比克(ke)(二者均為非洲東南部(bu)國家)。1999年,這(zhe)里被(bei)聯合國教科文(wen)組織(zhi)列為世界自然遺產。廣闊(kuo)的(de)濕地(di)(di)、沙丘、海灘和(he)珊瑚礁均聞名于世,動物(wu)種類(lei)更是數(shu)不勝數(shu)。這(zhe)里以擁(yong)有(you)自然界體積最龐大的(de)動物(wu)群而聞名:既有(you)座頭(tou)鯨這(zhe)樣的(de)大型(xing)海洋哺乳動物(wu),也(ye)有(you)大型(xing)的(de)陸地(di)(di)哺乳動物(wu)如非洲象(xiang)和(he)犀(xi)牛。圣盧西亞濕地(di)(di)還是南非鱷魚和(he)河馬的(de)故鄉,以及南非大的(de)棱(leng)皮龜(gui)和(he)野人(ren)(ren)頭(tou)龜(gui)的(de)繁(fan)衍棲息地(di)(di),還是世界上黑犀(xi)牛分布密度高的(de)地(di)(di)方。
圣(sheng)盧西亞濕地(di)(di)(di)公(gong)園(yuan)的(de)植物種(zhong)類(lei)(lei)繁多,總計(ji)有152個科,734個屬。南(nan)非31%的(de)植物生長(chang)在這里,其(qi)中有一些是該公(gong)園(yuan)所特有的(de)植物,如(ru)以(yi)公(gong)園(yuan)的(de)名字命名的(de)盧西亞高涼菜。該地(di)(di)(di)區新發(fa)現了一種(zhong)似蘆(lu)薈的(de)植物,但仍有待科學家們(men)作進一步研(yan)究(jiu)。根據圣(sheng)盧西亞濕地(di)(di)(di)公(gong)園(yuan)地(di)(di)(di)形、濕度(du)和土壤條件的(de)不(bu)同,各種(zhong)不(bu)同的(de)植被群落類(lei)(lei)型--森林、灌(guan)木(mu)叢、林地(di)(di)(di)、草地(di)(di)(di)和濕地(di)(di)(di)--交(jiao)錯分布,向人們(men)展(zhan)示著大(da)自然的(de)“鑲嵌(qian)藝(yi)術”。
濕(shi)(shi)地(di)(di)(di)(di)類(lei)型(xing)包括內(nei)河(he)(he)、紙(zhi)草沼澤(ze)地(di)(di)(di)(di)、蘆葦鹽堿濕(shi)(shi)地(di)(di)(di)(di)、莎草沼澤(ze)、含(han)鹽濕(shi)(shi)地(di)(di)(di)(di)和生(sheng)長著大型(xing)植(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)的(de)水(shui)(shui)底層(ceng)。其中內(nei)河(he)(he)及(ji)(ji)紙(zhi)草沼澤(ze)地(di)(di)(di)(di)大約(yue)覆蓋(gai)了公(gong)(gong)園7,000公(gong)(gong)頃的(de)面積,這(zhe)種(zhong)規模在(zai)南非的(de)濕(shi)(shi)地(di)(di)(di)(di)保護區中首屈一指。含(han)鹽濕(shi)(shi)地(di)(di)(di)(di)的(de)代表植(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)是孢子體、海蓬(peng)子屬和雀稗屬植(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)。草地(di)(di)(di)(di)類(lei)型(xing)主要(yao)包括沙灘上的(de)親水(shui)(shui)草地(di)(di)(di)(di)、澇原、南非洲棕櫚(lv)草原及(ji)(ji)三種(zhong)分別生(sheng)長在(zai)沙地(di)(di)(di)(di)、粘土和石質土上的(de)草地(di)(di)(di)(di)。林地(di)(di)(di)(di)由闊(kuo)葉(xie)林、阿(a)拉伯樹膠林、河(he)(he)邊(bian)樹林、欖仁樹和馬(ma)錢子混合(he)林以及(ji)(ji)灌木(mu)構成,這(zhe)里為食草動物(wu)(wu)提供了充足的(de)養料。朝海的(de)沙丘(qiu)上是一些不(bu)易排(pai)水(shui)(shui)的(de)變形(xing)土,生(sheng)長著小型(xing)葉(xie)、闊(kuo)葉(xie)混合(he)林及(ji)(ji)灌木(mu)叢,濃(nong)密(mi)的(de)灌木(mu)叢和盤旋交錯(cuo)的(de)藤蔓是這(zhe)里的(de)主要(yao)特(te)色。沼澤(ze)林占地(di)(di)(di)(di)3,095公(gong)(gong)頃,圣(sheng)盧西亞湖邊(bian)的(de)沼澤(ze)地(di)(di)(di)(di)當大雨(yu)過后會形(xing)成潺潺流動的(de)小河(he)(he)。比起陸地(di)(di)(di)(di)植(zhi)(zhi)被,圣(sheng)露西亞濕(shi)(shi)地(di)(di)(di)(di)公(gong)(gong)園的(de)水(shui)(shui)生(sheng)植(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)種(zhong)類(lei)也(ye)毫不(bu)遜(xun)色。據(ju)紀錄,水(shui)(shui)中生(sheng)長著325種(zhong)海藻類(lei)植(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)。
迄今為止(zhi)(zhi),圣(sheng)盧(lu)西(xi)亞濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)公(gong)園(yuan)(yuan)的(de)昆蟲種(zhong)類(lei)還(huan)沒有完(wan)全(quan)被人類(lei)獲知(zhi)。但僅就掌握(wo)的(de)資料來看(kan),這(zhe)(zhe)絕對是一個豐富多彩的(de)大千世(shi)(shi)界(jie)。196種(zhong)蝴蝶、52種(zhong)蜻(qing)蜓、139種(zhong)金(jin)龜(gui)子科甲蟲、41種(zhong)陸生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)蝸牛… …其種(zhong)類(lei)之(zhi)巨(ju),令人嘆為觀止(zhi)(zhi)。生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)活在(zai)海(hai)(hai)中及(ji)河口的(de)無脊椎動物是公(gong)園(yuan)(yuan)里(li)(li)重要的(de)水(shui)(shui)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)動物族。據紀錄,這(zhe)(zhe)里(li)(li)共有43種(zhong)硬(ying)珊瑚蟲,10種(zhong)軟珊瑚蟲,珊瑚礁也因其特有的(de)保護和科學價值頗受人們青睞(lai)。圣(sheng)露(lu)西(xi)亞濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)公(gong)園(yuan)(yuan)還(huan)發現有14種(zhong)海(hai)(hai)綿動物、4種(zhong)被囊(nang)動物和812種(zhong)水(shui)(shui)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)軟體(ti)動物,西(xi)印度洋特有的(de)暗礁魚(yu)類(lei)中,85%棲息在(zai)這(zhe)(zhe)片(pian)水(shui)(shui)域。該公(gong)園(yuan)(yuan)有6種(zhong)淡水(shui)(shui)動物是世(shi)(shi)界(jie)范圍內的(de)瀕危(wei)物種(zhong),16種(zhong)是國家級瀕危(wei)動物,世(shi)(shi)界(jie)上大的(de)鯊(sha)魚(yu)--贊比西(xi)河真鯊(sha)也棲息在(zai)這(zhe)(zhe)里(li)(li)。圣(sheng)盧(lu)西(xi)亞濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)公(gong)園(yuan)(yuan)以(yi)擁有自(zi)然界(jie)體(ti)積龐大的(de)動物群而聞名于(yu)世(shi)(shi),現存的(de)大海(hai)(hai)龜(gui)--棱皮龜(gui)、紅海(hai)(hai)龜(gui)、鯨魚(yu)、海(hai)(hai)豚、鯊(sha)魚(yu)、火烈鳥(niao)(形體(ti)似(si)鶴(he))、各種(zhong)涉禽類(lei)鳥(niao)、塘鵝以(yi)及(ji)其他(ta)水(shui)(shui)鳥(niao)都棲息(或季節(jie)性棲息)在(zai)該地(di)(di)(di),著名的(de)尼羅河鱷魚(yu)也在(zai)這(zhe)(zhe)里(li)(li)安了家。
圣盧西亞濕地(di)(di)公園現(xian)有(you)50種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)兩棲(qi)動(dong)(dong)(dong)物,108種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)爬行動(dong)(dong)(dong)物(包(bao)括12種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)海(hai)龜、53種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)蛇、42種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)蜥蜴和(he)1種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)鱷魚),其中(zhong)(zhong)有(you)5種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)兩棲(qi)動(dong)(dong)(dong)物屬(shu)該地(di)(di)區(qu)特產,6種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)爬行動(dong)(dong)(dong)物屬(shu)世界瀕危物種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)。這里更是一個五(wu)彩繽紛的(de)(de)鳥(niao)類樂園,有(you)521種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)鳥(niao)在這里棲(qi)息,其中(zhong)(zhong)單(dan)火(huo)烈鳥(niao)的(de)(de)數(shu)量(liang)就達到了50,000只。公園里的(de)(de)陸地(di)(di)和(he)水生哺乳動(dong)(dong)(dong)物總計有(you)129種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),其中(zhong)(zhong)包(bao)括95只黑犀和(he)150只白犀。