Cloud forests exist between 1800m and
3500m where the landscape is masked with
wet, green and vibrant vegetation. The
cloud forests are shrouded in heavy mists
for at least part of each day as moisture
from the lowland forests rises, cools and
condenses. The moisture leads to an abundance
of epiphytes (lichens, mosses, ferns, orchids
and bromeliads) which live on the trees
in the forest in a symbiotic relationship.
The epiphytes collect and hold the moisture,
leading to the lush forests. Many of the
orchids prefer the moss covered branches
or exposed bark to soil and with at least
3500 species of orchids, Ecuador is thought
to be home to more orchids than any other
country in the world and as many as 200
species have been found within one square
kilometer. Cloud forests are home to a
range of animals including woolly tapirs,
spectacled bears, pumas and over 320 bird
species including the plate-billed toucan
and countless hummingbirds.
I awoke early in the morning
to watch as the sun rose over the stillness
of the forest. There were several photographs
that I had seen the day before that I wanted
to take now that the rains had temporarily
stopped. I was walking along the top of a
hill when through a clearing I saw the mountains
spread out before me, bathed in the early
morning mists. It was wonderful to watch
as the sun rose, the mists cleared and the
forest came to life. |
