PANAMA'S RAIN FOREST

                                 Always a Favorite Visit

     Rainforests are one of my favorite places to be, and I’ve been in many of them. One always sees different things and I never cease to be amazed at Mother Nature!

       The canopy of tropical forests is one of the sites with the greatest biodiversity in the world and very little of it has been recorded by man. It is estimated that over 90% of all the world's species are insects that inhabit the top of the rainforest and have not yet been described by science; most of the 1.8 million species have been recorded more than half live in these forests, which is why many scientists have in recent years devoted to the study of tropical forest canopy. The top of tropical forests is of significant importance in the global climate as this type of biome plays an important role in regulating global climate, throwing more carbon per year than any other habitat.

      Panama’s rainforests line each side of the Panama Canal and are host to a diverse community of wildlife and plants. The geographic location of these rainforests offer a rich biodiversity of animals. Panama acts as a land bridge for animals moving  between North and South America. Many species tend to mingle with each other in Panama.

    Some of the most popular species include jaguars, tapirs, deer, anteaters, armadillos, capuchin and howler monkeys. Panama is home to 9,915 plant species, 218 mammal species, 302 bird species, 242 reptile species, and 182 amphibian species.

     Rainforests also help to reduce erosion and sedimentation in the Panama Canal. Without the rainforests, Panama’s transport system and its biodiversity would be adversely affected.

    The Caribbean coast contains the typical tropical rainforest where tropical rain falls year round. The Pacific coast, alternately, features rainforests with very distinct dry seasons each year.     

      On arrival at our rainforest hotel in Gamboa we immediately spotted a group of capybara lounging under a small grove of trees. They are the largest rodent in the world, followed by the beaver, porcupine, and mara (animal resembling a hare). Its closest relatives are agouti, chinchillas, coypu, and guinea pigs. It inhabits savannas and dense forests and lives near water. A highly social species they can be found in groups as large as 100 individuals, but usually live in groups of 10–20 animals. The capybara for its meat and hide and also for grease from its thick fatty skin which is used in the pharmaceutical trade.

     We motored around Lake Gatun visiting several small islands to watch for animals, and it didn’t take long for the capuchin monkeys to find us. Before long they were jumping onto the boats, running along the canopy, and back into the trees. They were very playful. We rode around stopping at several small islands.

    We also saw a small iguana, a good size crocodile, blue heron, some kind of a duck, and a couple squirrel monkeys. They enjoyed throwing a small yellow fruit about the size of an apricot at us.

     What a fun afternoon!