Sumatran lowland rainforests (25,000 sq km)
The central part of Indonesia's largest island, Sumatra, is covered with impenetrable tropical forests. The majority of this area is home to unique plants. These forests once stretched along the coast, but due to deforestation, they have shifted to mountainous regions. In the dense thickets of giant figs, lianas, palms, and ferns, tigers, rhinos, buffaloes, monkeys, large snakes, and about 600 species of birds live. According to experts, most figs, lianas, palms, and bamboo reach heights of 60 meters. The lower tier is occupied by tree ferns and various shrubs. The plain is home to the astonishing alang-alang grass. Closer to the coast, mangrove forests dominate. Many endemic species live here, including gharials, flying dragons, and several types of large snakes. Sumatran tigers and orangutans are on the brink of extinction. Thanks to this biodiversity, the Sumatran forests are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.