Shrouded in mist, dripping with water and boasting an extraordinary richness of plant and animal life, the cloud forests of Monteverde in north-western Costa Rica offer a glimpse into what seems like another world.
With vines curling down from the trees, and orchids and ferns in abundance, it is no surprise that the forests are home to well over 2,000 species of plants.
Animal life is also plentiful, and tourists often hope to catch a glimpse of the resplendent quetzal, a bird famed for its iridescent green and red plumage and the male's elaborately long tail feathers.
Climate change is, however, putting in doubt the future of cloud forests in Costa Rica and elsewhere in Latin America.
Tour guides in the cloud forests, which are easily reachable on foot from the main town in Monteverde, tell visitors that these habitats are migrating to higher altitudes as the climate changes.
The threat posed by climate change was identified at least 25 years ago, and in recent years the impact has become increasingly apparent.
“It’s very likely that the overall area of cloud forests will be reduce
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