Butterfly and Trees, Madidi National Park, Bolivia

Photograph by Joel Sartore

The locals say palm trees here grow legs and walk to find more sunlight. Standing on stilts, Madidi's "walking" trees, at right, appear to move as their shadyside roots wither. The palms may need strong root structures to quickly reach optimum height.

This photograph was taken on assignment for "Madidi: Will Bolivia Drown Its New National Park?" in the March 2000 National Geographic.