Socratea exorrhiza - The walking palm is a tall tree native to the rainforests of Central and South America; it can grow to heights of 25 meters. The function of the stilts growing from the bottom of the narrow trunk has been the topic of debate. One claim suggests the palm could spend out stilts, acting as levers, to right itself if the fall of a nearby tree causes it to topple over. The stilts might also keep the base of the trunk out of flood waters or allow the palm to grow on steep hillsides.
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Ecuador was part of the Inca Empire prior to the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in 1531, but archeological findings of the Valdivia community reveals the existence of a significant pre-Colombian society on Ecuador’s Santa Elena Peninsula. Dating between 3500 and 1800 BC, it was among the first American cultures to use pottery and to cultivate cotton for use in making clothing. The Valdivian people relied on fishing and farming for their basic needs, but would occasional hunt to supplement their diet.
