Barro Colorado Island, Gatun Lake, Panama
After going through the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks in the Panama Canal, we all admired the great human effort that was required for the construction of this engineering wonder. But few of us recognize that all this is based in the power of water.
The tropical rain forest that borders the Panama Canal is the backstage star for this process. After the creation of the Gatun Lake, the top part of most of the hills became islands covered with lush rain forest. The forest itself more than just a house-provider for wildlife is a perfect source of water. The tall trees almost grab on to the clouds and squeeze them transporting water from their branches to their roots until they reach the soil and percolate into the aquifers that will eventually feed the rivers. But as the water runs down the leaves to the trunks, it collects many nutrients that later on will nourish the forest floor.
Today for the last day of our expedition, we had the honor of hiking through one of the most renowned research tropical forest in the world, Barro Colorado Island. This forest is an open laboratory, ribbons on the bushes, infrared cameras, radio telemetry locating towers… among many other scientific gadgets. The area became an island as the Chagres River was dammed for the Panama Canal and in the 1940s BCI became part of the Smithsonian Institute.
As a extra bonus for walking through the magnificent forest, we were able to enjoy the song of a Chestnut-mandibled Toucan, followed by a little argument between two White-faced Capuccin monkeys in which one of them decided to come down to the floor and run away. As if it had not been enough, three peccaries crossed our trail in search of fruits, seeds or any other kind of midday snack. Everyone came on board with wonderful sightings and unforgettable memories, which we hope will last for a long time.
After going through the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks in the Panama Canal, we all admired the great human effort that was required for the construction of this engineering wonder. But few of us recognize that all this is based in the power of water.
The tropical rain forest that borders the Panama Canal is the backstage star for this process. After the creation of the Gatun Lake, the top part of most of the hills became islands covered with lush rain forest. The forest itself more than just a house-provider for wildlife is a perfect source of water. The tall trees almost grab on to the clouds and squeeze them transporting water from their branches to their roots until they reach the soil and percolate into the aquifers that will eventually feed the rivers. But as the water runs down the leaves to the trunks, it collects many nutrients that later on will nourish the forest floor.
Today for the last day of our expedition, we had the honor of hiking through one of the most renowned research tropical forest in the world, Barro Colorado Island. This forest is an open laboratory, ribbons on the bushes, infrared cameras, radio telemetry locating towers… among many other scientific gadgets. The area became an island as the Chagres River was dammed for the Panama Canal and in the 1940s BCI became part of the Smithsonian Institute.
As a extra bonus for walking through the magnificent forest, we were able to enjoy the song of a Chestnut-mandibled Toucan, followed by a little argument between two White-faced Capuccin monkeys in which one of them decided to come down to the floor and run away. As if it had not been enough, three peccaries crossed our trail in search of fruits, seeds or any other kind of midday snack. Everyone came on board with wonderful sightings and unforgettable memories, which we hope will last for a long time.
