Barro Colorado Island and the Panama Canal
For those in the know, Barro Colorado Island is a mecca for any and all who would like to carry out their research in the Neotropics (the tropics of the New World). The island has been protected since 1923, only a short time after the waters which had risen to form Gatun Lake, isolated a hilltop and made it into an island. Island biogeography is the exact name given to studies of islands in and of themselves, but the research going on here goes much further, and various scientists from all over the world are studying a diverse range of aspects and factors integral to tropical rainforests. And today we followed in their footsteps, literally. The island known as “BCI” has a network of trails that lead up, down, and across the ravines and hilltops which make up Barro Colorado Island. Others of us chose to follow in the wake of other researchers by venturing around the edges of the island by Zodiac, and evidence of projects could be seen hanging discreetly from branches growing close to the water line. Howler monkeys, a tamandua (an anteater, see photo!) and army ants swarming were among some of the wildlife sighted this morning, and a chestnut-mandibled toucan sang his farewells as we descended the steps after supporting the biological station even further by purchasing a variety of items from their gift shop.
So while the morning was spent gaping in awe at the incredibly intricate engineering feats of Mother Nature, the afternoon was spent looking at humankind’s engineering, namely the Panama Canal. We cruised down the infamous “Culebra Cut” where so many landslides delayed the excavation of this channel during the original construction. A swimming sloth was seen slowly making its way across the canal just under the newly opened Centennial Bridge (and we wondered if the sloth couldn’t have hitched a ride across the bridge instead of braving the ship traffic through the water), a crocodile basked along the edge on a red clay bank, and huge container ships and grain carriers were seen slowly making their way through the Pedro Miguel and Miraflores Locks.
By dinnertime, we had arrived in the Pacific Ocean, passing under the last bridge of our journey. And speaking of bridges, the isthmus was formed just 3 million years ago creating what is known as a land bridge joining the continents of North and South America. Just last century, humans separated the continents by constructing the Panama Canal across the land bridge. Today, the continents of South America and North America are joined by just three structures of human engineering: the Gatun lock swing bridge to the north, the Centennial Bridge in the middle of the isthmus, and the Bridge of the Americas near Panama City to the south. Fortunately, most wildlife in Central America is accustomed to watery conditions, and the canal is not much of a deterrent to anything intent on a crossing (as we saw with the sloth). Either by air or water, living beings continue to flow between the continents, and due to the Panama Canal, shipping traffic continues to flow between the oceans.
For those in the know, Barro Colorado Island is a mecca for any and all who would like to carry out their research in the Neotropics (the tropics of the New World). The island has been protected since 1923, only a short time after the waters which had risen to form Gatun Lake, isolated a hilltop and made it into an island. Island biogeography is the exact name given to studies of islands in and of themselves, but the research going on here goes much further, and various scientists from all over the world are studying a diverse range of aspects and factors integral to tropical rainforests. And today we followed in their footsteps, literally. The island known as “BCI” has a network of trails that lead up, down, and across the ravines and hilltops which make up Barro Colorado Island. Others of us chose to follow in the wake of other researchers by venturing around the edges of the island by Zodiac, and evidence of projects could be seen hanging discreetly from branches growing close to the water line. Howler monkeys, a tamandua (an anteater, see photo!) and army ants swarming were among some of the wildlife sighted this morning, and a chestnut-mandibled toucan sang his farewells as we descended the steps after supporting the biological station even further by purchasing a variety of items from their gift shop.
So while the morning was spent gaping in awe at the incredibly intricate engineering feats of Mother Nature, the afternoon was spent looking at humankind’s engineering, namely the Panama Canal. We cruised down the infamous “Culebra Cut” where so many landslides delayed the excavation of this channel during the original construction. A swimming sloth was seen slowly making its way across the canal just under the newly opened Centennial Bridge (and we wondered if the sloth couldn’t have hitched a ride across the bridge instead of braving the ship traffic through the water), a crocodile basked along the edge on a red clay bank, and huge container ships and grain carriers were seen slowly making their way through the Pedro Miguel and Miraflores Locks.
By dinnertime, we had arrived in the Pacific Ocean, passing under the last bridge of our journey. And speaking of bridges, the isthmus was formed just 3 million years ago creating what is known as a land bridge joining the continents of North and South America. Just last century, humans separated the continents by constructing the Panama Canal across the land bridge. Today, the continents of South America and North America are joined by just three structures of human engineering: the Gatun lock swing bridge to the north, the Centennial Bridge in the middle of the isthmus, and the Bridge of the Americas near Panama City to the south. Fortunately, most wildlife in Central America is accustomed to watery conditions, and the canal is not much of a deterrent to anything intent on a crossing (as we saw with the sloth). Either by air or water, living beings continue to flow between the continents, and due to the Panama Canal, shipping traffic continues to flow between the oceans.
