Barro Colorado Island
This morning, we woke up in the middle of Gatun Lake in front of Barro Colorado Island. This lake was created during the construction of the Panama Canal, and it took about four years for it to fill up. The islands that one finds in this lake were originally mountain tops of the Chagres River valley before the Canal was completed. Since 1923, the Smithsonian Institution was allowed to establish a biological station, which occupy several of these islands and the neighboring peninsulas. Ever since its creation this biological station has made great contributions to our understanding of tropical biology.
After breakfast, we met in the lounge to meet with researchers working on BCI, then we went on land or on Zodiac cruises around the islands. Our guides were the researchers themselves who aside from sharing with us their knowledge of tropical biology also guided us through the trails. There we encountered ant eaters, trogons, agoutis and monkeys among other animals. We were back onboard for lunch, and the Panama Canal pilot came earlier than expected.
Around 1:00 P.M. we continued our transit of the Canal which we practically concluded around 3:00 P.M.
This morning, we woke up in the middle of Gatun Lake in front of Barro Colorado Island. This lake was created during the construction of the Panama Canal, and it took about four years for it to fill up. The islands that one finds in this lake were originally mountain tops of the Chagres River valley before the Canal was completed. Since 1923, the Smithsonian Institution was allowed to establish a biological station, which occupy several of these islands and the neighboring peninsulas. Ever since its creation this biological station has made great contributions to our understanding of tropical biology.
After breakfast, we met in the lounge to meet with researchers working on BCI, then we went on land or on Zodiac cruises around the islands. Our guides were the researchers themselves who aside from sharing with us their knowledge of tropical biology also guided us through the trails. There we encountered ant eaters, trogons, agoutis and monkeys among other animals. We were back onboard for lunch, and the Panama Canal pilot came earlier than expected.
Around 1:00 P.M. we continued our transit of the Canal which we practically concluded around 3:00 P.M.
