The tropical dry forest consists of trees that lose their leaves in the 7-month long dry season. This protection mechanism helps against the drying out of the trees. Until the beginning of the wet season, the branches remain bare or covered in blossom.
Detail: Tropical dry forest of Nicaragua
The severely endangered dry forest
In earlier times, the entire western coast of Central America was covered in dry forest, inhabited by a variety of particular animal and plant species. The most common types of tree in the tropical dry forest are Guanacaste, Cedro Real, Jiñocuabo, Guacimo, Madroño, Wild Cashew, Kordie, American Fig and Brazil. Several types of orchid such as Brassavola and Tillandsia also grow among the forked branches. Today, the tropical dry forest is severely threatened due to deforestation and as a result has almost been reduced to a savanna in flat areas.
The last remaining tropical dry forest in Nicaragua
More than 98% of forests have given way to cities or agricultural land, whilst the tropical dry forest has become much rarer than the tropical rainforest. Just 1% of the tropical dry forest of Nicaragua remains and only a small part of this has been left in its natural state. Above the Carazo River an area of dry forest remains, which provides habitat for a great variety of rare animal and plant species. Join us and help us to buy more land for nature!
