Top Results for Tropical

The Serengeti Plains form part of a broad grassland ecosystem in northern Tanzania that connects with the Maasai Mara in southwestern Kenya. Volcanic soils, particularly in the southern short-grass plains, support nutritious grazing. Rainfall and fresh pasture help drive the Great Migration, in whic...

Rolling grasslands and patches of acacia woodland give the Maasai Mara its characteristic savanna setting in southwestern Kenya. The Maasai Mara National Reserve adjoins Tanzania's Serengeti ecosystem, while neighboring conservancies form part of the wider Mara region. Rivers and smaller seasonal wa...

Established in 1961, the Maasai Mara National Reserve lies in southwestern Kenya and forms the northern part of the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem. Its grasslands support wildlife including lions, cheetahs and elephants, making it a setting for animal observation and photography. The reserve is part of a...

Established in 1859, Singapore Botanic Gardens combines a tropical botanical collection with the character of a historic public garden. Its UNESCO World Heritage status reflects the importance of that heritage, while its living collections offer an introduction to plants suited to Singapore's warm,...

Moremi Game Reserve protects part of the eastern Okavango Delta in Botswana, bringing permanent wetlands, seasonal floodplains and dry ground within one protected area. Established in 1963 through the initiative of local Batawana people, its history reflects community action to protect wildlife. The...

Island isolation has helped produce the distinctive wildlife of the Philippines Biodiversity Hotspot. Many of its birds and mammals, along with numerous reptiles, occur nowhere else. Forest habitats across the archipelago support species with restricted ranges, so losing habitat on one island can af...

Seasonal water movement defines the Pantanal, a vast tropical wetland extending across parts of Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. Its low-lying floodplains receive and retain water as rivers rise, then expose more ground as levels fall. This changing pattern creates a mosaic of aquatic and terrestrial h...

The Na Pali Coast is a dramatic landscape on Kauai’s south shore. Characterized by towering, sheer cliffs dropping into the Pacific Ocean, it features numerous waterfalls and secluded beaches. This area offers exceptional opportunities for exploration and adventure appealing to hikers, kayakers, and...

The vanilla bean is the cured seed pod from *Vanilla planifolia*, a tropical orchid species. It’s notable for its intensely sweet flavor and aroma, crucial in baking and other culinary applications. Primarily sourced from Madagascar and Indonesia, it's valuable to chefs, pastry makers, and anyone se...

The largest hammerhead species, the great hammerhead belongs to the family Sphyrnidae and inhabits tropical and warm temperate seas worldwide. Individuals can reach about 6.1 meters, although this represents exceptional size rather than an ordinary adult length. Its broad, relatively straight-fronte...

Dark vertical markings on young tiger sharks give this large predatory species its common name. The stripes often become less distinct as the animal matures. Found in tropical and warm temperate waters around the world, the tiger shark is generally solitary and frequently active at night. Its broad...

Established in 1979, Yasuní National Park protects tropical rainforest in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Scientific research has documented exceptionally high diversity among its plants and animals, including hundreds of tree species recorded within individual hectares at studied locations. Such findings ma...

In southeastern Peru, Manu National Park protects approximately 17,163 square kilometers across a broad transition from the Andes to the Amazon lowlands. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, it also forms the core of the larger Manu Biosphere Reserve. High-altitude environments and clo...

Inscribed by UNESCO in 1988, the Wet Tropics of Queensland covers approximately 8,940 square kilometers in northeastern Australia. The World Heritage area extends along the coastal region around Cairns, reaching from the Townsville area toward Cooktown. Its tropical forests preserve ancient rainfore...

Sundaland includes the Malay Peninsula and the islands of Sumatra, Java and Borneo, forming a major biogeographical region of Southeast Asia. Its tropical rainforests belong to a globally significant biodiversity hotspot, with many species restricted to particular islands or habitats. Orangutans and...

Spread across six countries in Central Africa, the Congo Rainforest forms the world's second-largest tropical rainforest region. Much of it lies within the Congo River basin, where extensive forests support western lowland gorillas and forest elephants. Bonobos and okapis are also characteristic inh...

Monstera deliciosa is a large climbing aroid from the tropical forests of southern Mexico and Central America. Its mature leaves develop deep splits and oval openings called fenestrations, giving the foliage its familiar Swiss cheese appearance. Younger leaves may be less divided, so the plant's app...

Vanilla planifolia is a tropical climbing orchid native to Mexico and the primary commercial source of natural vanilla flavoring. Its stems climb with the help of aerial roots, while its long fruits are commonly called vanilla beans. Fresh pods do not have the familiar aroma of prepared vanilla: a l...

Rapid rotations during leaps above the sea give spinner dolphins their common name. Stenella longirostris is a relatively small oceanic member of the Delphinidae family, found widely in tropical waters and extending into some warm temperate areas. Its slender body and long beak provide a different p...

Selenicereus grandiflorus, commonly known as the Queen of the Night, is a species of cactus native to Mexico and parts of Central America. The plant is a climbing, sprawling cactus with long, trailing stems that typically grows on trees or rocks in tropical environments. It is most noted for its lar...

The Collared Grasshopper, Tropidacris collaris, is a large grasshopper in the family Romaleidae and is native to tropical regions of South America. It is among the largest grasshopper species, with a heavy body, strong hind legs, and broad wings. Adults feed on vegetation and are found in humid fore...

Bali is a tropical Indonesian island whose cultural identity is closely associated with Balinese Hindu traditions. Temples and ceremonial life are part of local communities, rather than simply attractions created for tourism. This cultural setting distinguishes Bali within predominantly Muslim Indon...

The Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea) is a dragonfly species in the family Libellulidae, native to the Americas and distributed from the southern United States through Central and South America. Mature males display a distinctive deep magenta to purple coloration on the abdomen, while females an...

Running approximately 1,600 kilometers along western India, the Western Ghats support tropical rainforests and montane forests shaped by changing elevation and seasonal rainfall. In 2012, UNESCO inscribed a serial group of sites across the range as a World Heritage property, recognizing selected are...

Geoffrey Bawa was a significant 20th-century architect renowned for his modernist designs incorporating tropical elements. His work, particularly at Lunuganga, explored innovative approaches to architecture within Sri Lanka’s climate and landscape. He developed techniques prioritizing natural light,...

Protected since 1995, Madidi National Park lies in northern Bolivia and forms part of a protected area of more than 18,900 square kilometers. Its terrain descends from the Andes through cloud forests into lowland Amazonian tropical rainforest. That change in elevation brings together habitats with v...

The Cuiabá River floodplains form part of the northern Pantanal in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. Seasonal rainfall causes the river and connected channels to inundate broad areas of grassland, woodland, marsh, and shallow lakes, creating habitat for fish, waterbirds, capybaras, caimans, giant...

The Sudd is a vast wetland in South Sudan formed where the White Nile spreads across a shallow, nearly level basin. Its area changes greatly with seasonal rainfall and river flow, creating a shifting landscape of channels, lagoons, reed beds, papyrus, floating vegetation, and flooded grassland. The...

The Bengal Delta encompasses a vast lowland region formed by the confluence of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers in Bangladesh and India. It is globally significant as the world’s largest deltaic system, characterized by extensive floodplain areas and complex river dynamics. This area suppo...