Panama 2013 – Flora & Fauna

Anteaters, monkeys,
Armadillos and sloths – all
part of jungle life.

Flora
Mangoes, avocados, pineapples, cashews, fig and coconut trees are just some of the trees that grow in Gamboa. At various times of year, many trees burst into striking colours – yellow, orange, pink, purple or red – and, once the flowers drop, the path underneath becomes carpeted in that colour for a few days afterwards. As well as the colours from the trees, other flowering plants also brighten the gardens around the township. Trees around Gamboa include: Palms (with their coconuts), Powderpuffs, Bamboo, Jacaranda, Guayacan (that burst into yellow for a few days a year), Astromelia, Yellow Flame, Robles, Guaba, Nance, Jobo, African Tulip, Mahogony, Pine, Corotu, Aguacatillo and Cuipo. The township of Gamboa is surrounded by jungle where the natural Panamanian flora really comes alive – it is suggested that there are more than 10,000 plant species in Panama including over 1000 species of orchids*. Panama is a country of diverse and stunning natural beauty.

Fauna
The Panamanian jungle is home to a broad range of characterful animals. From little brightly-coloured poisonous dart frogs to many new species I had not previously been aware of (capybaras, coatis, agoutis), as well as those I had always been keen to see but never had done so (anteaters, sloths, armadillos), many different types of monkeys, and right up to some large predatory cats such as pumas and jaguars. There is a truly wonderful variety of different species.

Sightings around Gamboa:

Agouti
Like large guinea pigs, they run around the park at dawn and dusk – often with babies.

Monkeys (carablanca, ardilla, titi)
Monkeys play in the trees around all parts of Gamboa. We have heard but not seen the howler monkeys (appropriately named…)

Sloths
The sloths are such relaxed animals – they really do move at a very slow pace with no apparent fear or desire to flee.

Leaf-cutter ants
One of the most fun residents in Gamboa are the leaf-cutter ants that march in their thousands in straight lines from tree to home carrying cuts of leaves or flowers. Their paths are so well trodden that many patches of grass have flattened lines across them.

Iguanas
Larger than one expects, iguanas are generally spotted in trees or moving from one tree to the next.

Capybara
A cross between a wild pig and a very large guinea pig (it is pig sized), the capybaras seem to stay in small groups as they wander through the jungle.

Raccoons
A fairly tame raccoon called Elvis lives at the Pipeline Rd Discovery Centre – a very playful and highly intelligent creature.

Sadly we have not seen the following in the wild (although we have seen some in a local wildlife park) – but others have seen many of them so perhaps we have not looked hard enough!

Big cats including: Pumas, Jaguars, Margays, Jaguarundis, Ocelots
Larger long-tailed creatures: Coatis, Kinkajous, Olingos, Cacomistles, Skunks
Weasels and Otters: Otters, Grisons, Weasels, Tayras
Dogs, Pigs, Rabbits: Foxes, Coyotes, Bush Dogs, Peccaries, Cottontails, Pacas
Bears and Deers: Spectacled Bears, various species of Deer, Tapirs
Monkeys: Spider Monkeys, different Howlers, Night monkeys
Wonderfully characterful creatures: Sloths, Anteaters, Armadillos (I would love to have seen an armadillo)
Smaller long-tailed creatures: Opossums, Porcupines, Tree Rats, Gophers, Squirrels, Mice
Bats: Panama is a hub of bat species – hence the large study group working here in bats

Other creatures in the jungle include many different species of butterflies (including the huge and beautifully bright blue ‘Blue Morpho’), lizards, snakes, frogs, ants, beetles, crocodiles and that is just in the rainforest. The coast (and its many mangroves) is, of course, home to many marine species – without which we would never have come for the three months we are here. First to mention is naturally the fiddler crab with a close second the mantis shrimp – both M’s study species! There are also nesting turtles (of 7 species in the world, 5 can be seen in Panama) whales, dolphins and sharks and a plethora of other fish. Overall, Panama can rightly be proud of being home to such a beautifully diverse and exciting flora and fauna.