The
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute at Barro Colorado.
For a naturalist
working on a research project, a visit to Barro Colorado Island in
the middle of Gatun Lake, might feel almost like a vacation in a beautiful
and tranquil natural jungle retreat. On the other hand, a casual vacationer
could very well find a tour of the facilities and jungle trails, administered
by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, to be a bit too serious
and strenuous.
The group
probably best suited for an all-day excursion to this 1,500 hectare
ecologically pristine site is the ever-growing ex-pat population,
hungry for knowledge about the vast biological diversity of their
adopted Panama.The staff of Barro Colorado, like the very friendly
and supportive Oris Acevedo, the scientific coordinator, welcomes
nearly 4,000 visitors annually. The institute shares this large open-air
laboratory with Between 200 and 400 research scientists per year who
study the numerous species of animals, birds, reptiles, insects and
plants that live there.
There
is a limit of 90 visitors a week with the trip only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays
and Fridays. The boat leaves the STRI dock at Gamboa (not to be confused
with the resort), promptly at 7:15 a.m. and returns at 4:10 p.m. on
weekdays. The trip Saturday and Sunday is a bit shorter, from 8:00
a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
After about
a 30-minute cruise aboard the commuter boat the Jacana, visitors arrive
at the dock that leads up the hill to the historic field research
station, established in 1923. Part of the larger Barro Colorado Nature
Monument, the island is buffered by three peninsulas that border the
waterway. The up-to-date facility has all the necessary infrastructure,
offices, labs, green houses and living quarters for the researchers
as well as a visitor’s center and dining hall.
Who is watching who?
The main
attraction for visitors is the intricate system of trails that crisscross
the otherwise unspoiled lowland humid forest that covers the island.
Guides, like Vilma Fernandez, an energetic young scientist specializing
in primate studies, who happens to speak excellent English, lead small
groups of amateur naturalists through a maze of jungle trails in search
of both flora and fauna.
With a
little bit of luck, and the expert assistance of a guide like Fernandez,
a lucky hiker can spot howler and/or white-faced Capuchin monkeys
or maybe a Toucan. Sightings of raccoon-like white-nosed Coatis; rodent-like
Agoutis; two and three-toed sloths; white-tailed deer; a large green
Iguana; a brightly colored poison dart frog; and maybe a Tamandua
anteater as well as several bats and a multitude of butterflies are
often possible. After all, there are thousands of insect species,
hundreds of birds and over 120 species of mammals on the island including
the rarely seen nocturnal cats such as jaguars, pumas and ocelots.
Then there’s
the trees, some with almost morbid nicknames, like the strangler tree
(Ficus), that wraps itself around a host tree and takes over its space;
or the suicide tree (Tachigali), that grows large enough to finally
sow its seeds and then dies after a single germination. In stark contrast
to the Royal Palm in this highly competitive forest environment is
the Chunga Palm festooned up and down its entire trunk with five-inch
spikes. The goal of one of the strenuous trails is to view the phenomenon
known as "the Big Tree." This gigantic Bonga tree, the width
of a house and height of a Panama City office tower, is worth the
hilly and sometimes slippery trek.
A tree as wide as a house. |
Most trails
are around two kilometers and include steep sections and stairs. These
stairs are a small engineering marvel that makes this habitat accessible.
One of the unsung heroes of the research institute is Apolonio Valdes
the designer and caretaker of the trails. "Polo" as he’s
known to the regulars, is constantly repairing and rearranging the
steps for maximum safety and naturalness.
After
a climb around the tip of what used to be a mountain before Gatun
Lake was flooded, a pleasant lunch, with vegetarian options, is served
cafeteria style in the air conditioned dining hall while some souvenirs,
tee shirts and books can be purchased in the small gift shop.
There
is also an opportunity to meet some of the scientists doing the research
that is the primary reason that STRI is there. For example Dr. David
Watson from Australia sat in the dining hall with his wife Maggie
and two young sons, Douglas 7 and Jack 5 and pronounced the island
"the ideal location" to study the relationship between plants
and birds. Or a visit with Enith Rojas is possible, a young earnest
Panamanian studying the biology of fungi. Then there’s Alejandro
Ortega, also Panamanian, the jovial assistant manager of a system
of antennas that track the whereabouts of a number of the animals,
especially some of the big cats.
The whole
scenic area is routinely patrolled by game wardens, which means that
with protection, Barro Colorado Island remains a gorgeous, natural
resource for scientists and citizens from Panama and around the world.
For more
information, visit the website www.stri.org; and to make reservations
and to get directions and guidelines for a visit call (507) 272-2120
or 212-8951 or e-mail ObaldiaA@si.edu.
