Colombia’s tropical dry forests are among the most critically endangered ecosystems in the Neotropics. Once stretching across the Caribbean and Andean regions of Colombia, they now cover only about 8% of their original extent, largely due to agricultural expansion and cattle ranching. These forests host 2,569 plant species, including 83 that are endemic, found nowhere else on Earth.
The Forest of a Thousand Colors
Known locally as “the forest of a thousand colors” Colombia’s tropical dry forests in the Caribbean region are breathtaking in their resilience and rhythm. During the dry season, many trees lose their leaves to conserve water, revealing a landscape of ochres and silvers. But with the first rains, the forest erupts in brilliant blooms and lush greenery, transforming the dry terrain into a living mosaic.
A Fragile Ecosystem on the Brink
Throughout Colombia—and particularly along the Caribbean coast —dry forests have been heavily transformed. This fragmentation isolates wildlife populations and disrupts vital ecological processes As forests shrink, cotton-top tamarin groups become confined to smaller patches, increasing their risk of predation and capture for the illegal pet trade.