Birds, although not very often seen, contribute to the life and colors of the forest. Some 66 species are found in El Yunque, including nine which are unique to the Island.The Puerto Rican Parrot,PuertoRican Lizard-Cuckoo,Green Mango,Puerto Rican Emerald, Puerto Rican Tdy,Puerto Rican Woodpecker,Elfin Woods Warbler, Puerto Rican Tanager and Puerto Rican Bullfinch.
The Forest is home to bright colored hibiscus and more than eighty orchid varieties, leaves, vines such as the giant elephant ears and more than 150 varieties of fern. Creeping bamboos as well as mosses hanging from trees are a common sight.
Many of the medication we use today come from rain forest plant. Cortisone is one of them. There are others used to treat heart disease, leukemia and nervous disorders. To today ,only a fraction of the more than half-million plant found in the rain forests have been investigated in the laboratory
The Forest is a site for forestry training for people from around the world in cooperation with the International Institute of Tropical Forestry . It is the best studied tropical forests in the world .Lessons learned here help in developing wise management strategies for forests around the world.