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The wildlife of Sri Lanka includes its flora and fauna and their natural habitats. Sri Lanka has one of the highest rates of biological endemism (16% of the fauna and 23% of flowering plants are endemic [ 1 ] ).
The following is a list of ecoregions in Sri Lanka. Due to High rainfall and even sunlight throughout the year, Sri Lanka exhibits a great variety in ecoregions in all living habitats. Together with Western Ghats, Sri Lanka forms Western Ghats and Sri Lanka hotspot. It is considered one of the eight super-hotspots. [1]
Sri Lankan freshwater habitats can be divided into 6 major types - river, stream, lake, pond, villu and paddy field - according to size, depth, rate of flow and type of bottom. Medium-sized rivers are called Oya and fast flowing streams torrential streams are called Dola in Sinhalese. The following list provide the freshwater fauna of Sri Lanka.
The Loris, found only in Sri Lanka and South India, is related to the Lemurs of Madagascar. The connection to India led to a commonality of species, e.g. freshwater fish, the now extinct Sri Lankan Gaur (Bibos sinhaleyus) and the Sri Lankan Lion (Panthera leo sinhaleyus). [5] The island was connected, off and on at least 17 times in the past ...
Plant diversity and endemism in Sri Lanka are quite high. Of 3,210 flowering plants belonging to 1,052 genera, 916 species and 18 genera are endemic. [3] All but one of Sri Lanka's more than 55 dipterocarp (Sinhalese "Hora") are found nowhere else in the world. Sri Lanka's amphibian diversity is only becoming known now.
Sri Lanka continental separated from the south eastern tip of peninsular India by the more than 20 m deep Palk Strait.There had been repeated land connections with India across this strait during successive glacial periods, the last being between 10,000 and 20,000 years ago when the sea level was about 120m below the present level creating a 140 km wide land bridge.
The flora and fauna of Sri Lanka is mostly understudied. [4] Therefore, the number of endemics could be underestimated. All three endemic genera Solisorex, Feroculus and Srilankamys, of Sri Lanka are monotypic. [5] The endemic status of two Sri Lankan shrews has undergone changes as they have been reported in India recently. [1]
Small mammals in Sri Lanka shows a great degree of diversity, such as rodents, shrews and bats. Of these mammals 70 percent are smaller than a small cat. [3] This area is an atypical habitat to the largest carnivore of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka leopard. The leopard has categorised as threatened. Another five rodents listed endangered.