Tree That Outlasted the Dinosaurs 145 Million Years Now Endangered

Nature World News reports, "although Araucaria araucana outlived the dinosaurs, scientists now classify the tree as endangered. Monkey puzzle trees are cultivated and may be found in gardens and parks worldwide, but in the wild, they are only found in Chile and Argentina on the slopes of Patagonia's volcanoes."

Austral parakeets may save the day

The article continues, "The temperate forest where the monkey puzzle tree thrives has been reduced due to fires, land clearing, overgrazing, and logging. The austral parakeet, a coveted food source for an endangered bird species, is its big seeds. The green-hued parrots move between trees in flocks of approximately 15 birds in search of an ideal location to put on weight before the winter. The birds' numbers may increase to more than 100 when they strike it rich, and they gorge on monkey puzzle pine nuts."

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