St. Lucia Central Reservations

Presents

St. Lucia & The Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park Area

 

The Eastern Shores - Barrier between Lake and Sea

 

The tall vegetated coastal dunes, north of St. Lucia, are the feature of the Eastern Shores  most likely to make the greatest impression on you, the visitor.  These dunes have been built and shaped by the wind over the past 25 000 years.  Rising steeply from the waves they are almost 200 meters tall in places and are said to be the tallest vegetated dunes in the world.  Even during the most severe droughts these dunes catch some rain, and then they are the sole source of fresh water for the lake.  The Eastern shores are a fragile environment. There are delicate balances between the water, the sand formations, the low nutrient status and the plant growth. It has a lot to offer the visitor - especially the scenery, the biological variety and the greenness.  In many ways this is the heart of the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park.

Tall vegetated dune with lake and grassy plain in foreground

 

The lush vegetation of the grassy plains, wetland features and swamp areas between the dunes and the Lake in the West is an ideal habitat for browsers such as the white rhino [ square lipped ], elephant, buffalo,  and many antelope species.  The Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park Authority has embarked on an expansive re-introduction program to bring these animals back to the area where they grazed in large herds before the interference of man.  All this is only a stone throw away from the town of St. Lucia, the ideal base-camp for the eco-tourist that has made it his mission to explore this unique bio-diversity with its elaborate eco-systems.

Buffalo on grassy plain

Kudu

 

The Marine Eco-system The Eastern Shores eco-system Lake St. Lucia The Mkuze Swamps The Western Shores eco-system

 

Eco-systems

Lake St. Lucia