The Kerala Backwaters are a network of interconnected canals, rivers, lakes and inlets, a labyrinthine system formed by more than 900ÃÂ km of waterways. National Waterway No. 3 from Kollam to Kottapuram, covers a distance of 205ÃÂ km and runs almost parallel to the coast line of southern Kerala facilitating both cargo movement and backwater tourism. The backwaters have a unique ecosystem - freshwater from the rivers meets the seawater from the Arabian Sea. Many unique species of aquatic life including crabs, frogs and mudskippers, water birds such as terns, kingfishers, darters and cormorants, and animals such as otters and turtles live in and alongside the backwaters. Palm trees, pandanus shrubs, various leafy plants and bushes grow alongside the backwaters, providing a green hue to the surrounding landscape.
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