Barro Colorado Island and the Panama Canal, Panama
As the Gatun Lake was filling up from 1903 to 1914, the Island of Barro Colorado became a spot in the middle of the Canal were scientist could come and satisfy their need for knowledge of the rain forest. Because it was a piece of tropical land in a very safe area (the Canal Zone) many young biologist, mostly from the USA, came to Panama to start unveiling the mysteries of this unknown ecosystem.
The Smithsonian Institute started the administration of this Island in 1949 and ever since, a rampage of research began; and in a matter of a couple of decades the six square miles of Barro Colorado Island (BCI) became the most well known piece of tropical rain forest in the world. Today, the researchers can find modern facilities: labs, cafeteria, dorms and an extensive network of trails are components of this luxurious jungle research center.
As we walked the trails, we could see that almost every plant is tagged, researcher accessories are found all over the place, camera traps, nets and many more speak for themselves about the various studies that are taking place at all times. Tall towers automatically monitor 24/7 the movements of jungle creatures so you can track the behavior and habits of these animals from a remote computer anywhere in the world.
Our activities at the Barro Colorado Island were very successful. We saw some monkeys and several birds during our Zodiac rides. On the trails Spider Monkeys, Howler Monkeys, White Throated Capuchin Monkeys, Agoutis, Crested Guans and even the allusive Tyra, a cat-looking weasel that is the terror of all medium to small sized wildlife.
After all the activities we went back on board National Geographic Sea Lion and as soon as we finished our delicious lunch we started to move towards the Gatun Locks. From the bow of the ship, we could see the three chambers and the Caribbean Ocean in the distance, our final destination as we descended through the locks. Water came and went as the giant doors opened and closed. In our heads we reviewed all the incredible places we visited on this amazing Central American journey.
