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Marine Biodiversity of Sri Lanka |
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The Island Nation of Sri
Lanka, hangs at the apex of the great Indian continental shelf
projecting deep into the open Indian Ocean. This unique location
brings in a rich diversity of life within Sri Lankan waters as
animals of both the continental shelf and the deep Oceanic waters
are found within Sri Lankan maritime zone. |
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Sri Lanka with a land
area of 65,610 Km2
is surrounded by a coastline
approximately 1770km. in length containing many marine habitats
including Estuaries, Mangroves, Sand and mud flats, Sea-grass beds,
Beaches, Rocky shores, Sandstone reefs, Coral reefs and open pelagic
waters. The Country claims an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that
extends 200 km. and covers over 256,400 Km2 on
all sides except at the boundary with India. All natural resources
and species of life found within this zone is regarded to belong to
Sri Lanka. |
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Sri Lanka Coastal Physical data |
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Shoreline: 1770 km |
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Total Area
of Land: 65,610 square kilometres |
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Total area
of continental shelf: 30,000 square kilometres |
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Total area
EEZ: 256,410 square kilometres |
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(Depth= 0-200m) |
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Continental Shelf |
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(Depth= 200-2000m) |
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(Depth= >2000m) |
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The seas around
Sri Lanka are rich in Marine life; with habitats ranging from
beaches, rocky shores, coastal mangroves, sea grass beds, sandy and
muddy floors, reefs, the open ocean and deep sea floors. The reefs
itself can be further sub divided according to the depth and the
structural material as Rock / granite reefs, Beach-rock / Sandstone
reefs and Coral reefs. The first two categories of reefs are
commoner and can be found from shallow to the deepest continental
areas. The coral reefs in Sri Lanka are restricted to fringing reefs lining
the coastal shallows and shallow peaks of offshore ridges. |
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Sri Lanka is situated
in an ideal location that provides conditions necessary to support
a higher bio-diversity due to several special features. |
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Located in the
Warm clear waters of the Tropics and within the Indo-West
Pacific Zoogeographic zone. |
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Located on the
Continental shelf of the Indian sub-continent supporting shelf
dwelling species and enriched by nutrient outflow from river
sediments. |
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Located at the tip
of the Indian headland extending deep into the Indian ocean,
Sri Lanka is enclosed on 3 sides by deep ocean and allow
access to oceanic species and currents. |
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Flanked by the
Chagos-Maldive-Lakshadveep and Andaman- Nicobar chains of
coral Islands. Sri Lankan coasts are open to planktonic
species replenishment through oceanic currents. |
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Sri Lanka is rich in
marine bio-diversity, the Coral reefs are the richest of the marine
ecosystems. Generally reefs or hard substrates support more life
than sea grass beds, sandy or muddy sea floors. The open ocean
supports a free living community of animals often important for
fisheries. The oceanic environments are also important for the
marine mammals and sea birds as well. The actual richness of life in
our seas is far from adequately assessed; as most groups of life
had not been studied properly. |
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Marine Bio-diversity
of Sri Lanka |
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Marine
Mammals |
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Cetacea
(Whales/Dolphins) |
27 species in 6
Families |
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Sirenia (Dugong) |
1 species |
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Marine Reptiles |
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Turtles |
5 species in 2
Families |
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Sea snakes |
12 species |
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Salt water
Crocodile |
1 species |
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Sea Birds |
49 species in 8
Families |
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Petrels &
Sheerwaters |
10 |
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Storm-petrels |
2 |
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Tropicbirds |
2 |
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Boobies |
3 |
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Frigates |
3 |
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Skuas |
4 |
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Terns & Noddies |
18 |
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Gulls |
7 |
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Corals |
>183 species in 68
Genera |
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Fishes |
> 1200 species
within EEZ limits including > 700 species of reef fishes |
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Echinoderms |
206 species
recorded (estimated aprox. 250 species) |
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Mollusks |
1000 +? |
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No proper survey
has been carried out to estimate the number of species of
Algae, Sponges, Cnidarians, Tunicates, Worms, etc. |
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