Reasons Why Fantasy Jungles are an Interesting Environment

The jungle biome appears only in certain areas of the world. More specifically, the tropics or areas close to the planet’s equator. The tropics has abundant light all year round and it’s warm throughout the year. The constant light and warm temperatures make it easy for plants to not only grow but explode with frenzy.

Fantasy jungles get plenty of rain as the year progresses. The rain helps fuel the plants’ growth. The tradeoff? It makes them more humid, which isn’t fun. They’re also likely to get struck by hurricanes which bring devastating rain and fierce winds with them.

Combining the heat and humidity results in a miserable experience for the average person. After taking just a few steps into the jungle, he’ll be soaked in sweat and it’ll only continue the deeper he wades in. It’s really easy to get dehydrated while exploring the jungle which is why it’s a good idea to have a canteen full of water.

While the average joe might decide that going in a jungle biome isn’t worth it, only enthusiastic explorers leap right into the fray with a fierce determination to not let anything hold them back. They see a golden opportunity to discover something that just might lead to them becoming famous!

Whether you’re someone who just happens to be a typical traveler or an explorer filled with ideas about fame and glory, it’s imperative to prepare before going in. This still applies to fantasy. The last thing you want is for your audience to be skeptical that your characters are walking through the jungle and not breaking a sweat.

What should you, the creator, do to ensure that your audience doesn’t lose the ability to immerse themselves in your world when your characters are in the jungle? For starters, have them wear light, loose clothing. And be sure to have them carry canteens or any other kind of containers full of water. You can give them rest breaks where they discuss their next moves. These little details go a long way in winning people over.

The goal here is to have your audience pay attention to what’s going on, not nitpick over a character wearing an outfit more suitable elsewhere or the fact that they went inside a jungle without bringing water with them. You want to give them an experience they’ll never forget!

One thing fantasy jungles are known for is how they’re overrun by plants. Trees that seem to reach into the skies. Large, thick bushes that prove difficult to get through without getting scratched. No matter which part of the jungle you’re in, you’ll definitely be surrounded by plants!

Large palm-like trees dominate the jungle biome, with their leaves and tough bark. While their huge leaves overlap, providing a respite from the heat of the sun, they also make it feel more humid. These trees have coconuts or similar fruits hanging on them and it’s not an easy climb to get them. They’re so tall that it only takes one mistake to fall off and falling off might cause severe injuries, if not worse.

While the great trees of fantasy jungles might catch your attention, the many bushes on the ground will most definitely get your attention. There’s too many different kinds to mention here so just a few will be covered. They are as follows:

• thorny bushes
• shrubs with vines
• hedges with poison ivy
• fruit-bearing shrubbery
• bramble bushes
• • • • •  

  You might think that with all this vegetation, the jungle biome is paradise for insects. Well, on that count, you’re right. Insects like mosquitoes and beetles plague the jungle, annoying  people traveling through the jungle. They never cease, even bothering people at nighttime.

The massive vegetation makes fantasy jungles excellent places to unearth secrets. One popular secret jungles conceal is treasure. Many intrepid explorers scour these areas, searching for the ‘legendary treasure’ that’s supposedly full of riches.

The foliage of the jungle biome also hides ruins of ancient civilizations. In the years following their collapse, nature’s reclaimed the ruins. Where pristine buildings once stood there’s now crumbling structures full of vines and other plants that’s grown over the years. Nature reclaiming the ruins makes them interesting places to explore but it also makes them more dangerous, for explorers have to tread carefully and not touch poisonous plants.