Barro Colorado Island, Gatun Lake, Panama
Before the construction of the Panama Canal, what we now know as Gatun Lake used to be the lush valley of the Chagres River. Once the canal was completed, the forests and villages that lived in the valley were covered by water and what used to be mountaintops became islands on this new body of water which is, at present, one of the largest man made lakes in the world. In a short time the Barro Colorado Island and four surrounding peninsulas became a unique ecosystem which the scientific community identified. As early as 1923, the island was identified by the scientific community to be an area of great interest, and by 1946 it became a Bureau of the Smithsonian Institution. However, the Smithsonian does not own the Barro Colorado Nature Monument since it is the patrimony of the Panamanian nation; instead, the Smithsonian Institution is the caretaker of this great natural sanctuary and sponsors the scientific research which hundreds of scientists have carried out since over half a century.
Having slept on the Gatun Lake the previous night, this morning we visited the BCI Nature Monument with guides provided by the biological station. Some of us went on a long hike while others preferred taking an easy Zodiac ride around the area in search for wild life. Everytime one goes into a forest something new appears, however, no matter how many times we might see some animals, there’s always the feeling that one is seeing them for the first time. Perhaps the most gratifying experience on this day was that as we heard the explanations of our hosts, we could assess how much we had all learned through this short but intense journey through the natural treasures of Costa Rica and Panama. Back on the ship we completed the crossing of the Panama Canal then we packed our belongings and our memories and after being tested on Panama Canal trivia by Beny we all went to celebrate our good grades during the farewell dinner.
Before the construction of the Panama Canal, what we now know as Gatun Lake used to be the lush valley of the Chagres River. Once the canal was completed, the forests and villages that lived in the valley were covered by water and what used to be mountaintops became islands on this new body of water which is, at present, one of the largest man made lakes in the world. In a short time the Barro Colorado Island and four surrounding peninsulas became a unique ecosystem which the scientific community identified. As early as 1923, the island was identified by the scientific community to be an area of great interest, and by 1946 it became a Bureau of the Smithsonian Institution. However, the Smithsonian does not own the Barro Colorado Nature Monument since it is the patrimony of the Panamanian nation; instead, the Smithsonian Institution is the caretaker of this great natural sanctuary and sponsors the scientific research which hundreds of scientists have carried out since over half a century.
Having slept on the Gatun Lake the previous night, this morning we visited the BCI Nature Monument with guides provided by the biological station. Some of us went on a long hike while others preferred taking an easy Zodiac ride around the area in search for wild life. Everytime one goes into a forest something new appears, however, no matter how many times we might see some animals, there’s always the feeling that one is seeing them for the first time. Perhaps the most gratifying experience on this day was that as we heard the explanations of our hosts, we could assess how much we had all learned through this short but intense journey through the natural treasures of Costa Rica and Panama. Back on the ship we completed the crossing of the Panama Canal then we packed our belongings and our memories and after being tested on Panama Canal trivia by Beny we all went to celebrate our good grades during the farewell dinner.
