Sri Lanka (Ceylon) is a tropical island which spans around 430km in length and 230km across at its widest point. It is situated just north of the equator and extremely close to the Indian subcontinent. Despite its miniscule proportions, the country holds a wealth of flora and fauna. The island is divided into three primary climatic zones. The wet zone, dry zone and the intermediate zone based on the annual rainfall.
Its elevation, starting at sea level in the coastal areas, rises up to over 8,000 feet in the central hills, which supplies the perfect conditions for a variety of natural delights that are sure to leave you spellbound.
So just how diverse is the fauna and flora of this tropical paradise? The following list will give you a rough idea.
Approximately,
- 90 + species of land mammals
- 26 species of sea mammals
- 435 + species of birds
- 244 species of butterflies
- 120 species of dragonflies
- 78 species of fresh water fish
- 1,800 + Saltwater fish
- 59 species of freshwater crustaceans
- 356 species of ground beetles
- 99 species of frogs
- 95 + species of land snake
- 236 species of land snails
- 400 + species of spider
- 4,143 species of flowering plants
- 1,920 species of fungi
- 200+ species of lichen
- 756 species of mosses and liverworts
Many of these species can be seen without difficulty in our national parks and sanctuaries, of which there are over 15.
