The Canopy

      The canopy of the rainforest (and the emergents which rise above it) supports a great amount of biodiversity. Most of the neotropical primates use this layer to forage in, particularly the larger species (including wooly, spider and howler monkeys). The canopy walkway constructed a few weeks after I arrived allowed for access to canopy never before experienced in Ecuador. Here are some pictures. For the full sized-image, please click on the pictures.

Canopy Walkway 
The canopy walkway.

 

Scenes of the canopy:

     
  Rainforest Canopy   Rainforest Canopy  Rainforest Canopy

   
 Rainforest Canopy  Rainforest Canopy
 Rainforest Canopy
   

Canopy Animals

     The temperature and amount of sunlight in the canopy are drastically different than that of the lower strata. Many canopy animals will go lower in the rainforest during midday to avoid the conditions at the top.

  Little Blue Bird in Canopy
Look for the little blue bird in the center.

 Hawk
 Hawk perching.

 Woodcreeper
 Woodcreeper foraging.

Wasp Nest
Wasp nest in canopy.