Rainforest Flowers

There is a lot of poverty and squalor in Guatemala, but there is also an astonishing abundance of fabulous flowers that seem to sprout everywhere and provide some compensation and cheer.

A few hundred acres of rainforest generally contain: 1,500 species of flowers; 750 species of trees; 125 species of mammals; 400 species of birds; 100 species of reptiles 60 species of amphibians; 150 species of butterflies; and 50,000 species of insects.

These flowers grow at Xalaja, our marina.

Although rainforests cover only 5-7% of the earth, they house over 50% of all the plants and animals. Rainforest plants and trees are rich in food and medicine.

Much of Latin America's tropical rainforests have been cut down in order to graze cattle (read hamburger).
In the past 30 years Central America has lost about 66% of its rainforest due to farmland, firewood, and lumber.

Over 120 prescription drugs come from plants.

Around 25% of pharmaceuticals come from rainforests, yet fewer than 1% of the tropical plants have been tested by scientists.

It is estimated that rainforests contain 3000 types of fruit.

It is believed that 137 plant, animal, and insect species are lost every day due to deforestation.

It is also estimated that 1.5 acres of rainforest are lost every second.

Rainforests are called the earth’s lungs because they produce around 20% of all the oxygen.

These water lilies grow outside our cabana.

If deforestation continues at current rates, 80% of rainforest ecosystems will be destroyed in 40 years.

Deforestation can contribute to erosion, water shortages, and climate changes.

(We’ve gleaned these “facts” off the net, but obviously have not verified them.)