Not far from the capital of Ecuador, Quito, there exist unique palm trees which are not fixed in one place but can go wherever they choose.
According to researchers, the trees can move about 1″ (2.5 cm) per day. The trees don't move without reason, the scientific team of the Slovak Academy of Sciences told the BBC, they are in fact looking for better light.
While the soil erodes, each tree develops new, longer roots that seek out harder soil. Sometimes they move an entire 65.5 ft (20 m) away, shows the scientists' research.
When light becomes scarce, the trees produce new roots, in a different area some ways away, while the old roots rise in the air.
These palm trees are unique but may completely vanish within 2 years because they are not protected and local authorities do not sanction anyone who cuts them down.
In fact, the local administration actually supports the chopping down of trees in Ecuador in order to increase the area of arable land, even though the forests in the country are a real miracle of nature.
Leader of the Slovak expedition, Peter Vršanský, states that the expedition in Ecuador continued for several months, while the team recorded the movement of the trees.
During research in the forests in Sumaco National Park, the team found a 98.5 ft (30 m) waterfall, whose existence was unknown until now. Two new species have also been discovered - one of a lizard and frog.
But the scientific expedition did not enjoy a worry-free trek, as the monkeys did not take a liking to their presence. The animals threw dry branches, fruits and even their own feces at the team to try to scare them off.
