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The Western Ghats of India Shola Forests Sholas are a unique type of montane evergreen forest. They are globally categorized as "cloud forests," because their tropical latitude and high altitude (5900ft (1800m) and higher), means they are often shrouded in mist. The extreme wind often stunts trees, but mosses, ferns, and epiphytes thrive. In the Western Ghats, sholas grow in small clumps in the folds of the hills, and are surrounded by undulating grasslands. The shola/grasslands ecosystem is complex, and not yet fully understood by scientists. It was once thought that this unique ecosystem was the result of human interference, but studies reveal it evolved over thousands of years. < Previous | Back to Thumbnails | Next >   Photos and captions courtesy of Ian Lockwood Up to Top