Panama, or how I discovered the Neotropics
My first trip to the Neotropics, Panama was chosen for personal reasons but proved to be an exceptional experience over 16 days.
29 mammals seen, including water opossums, Northern tamandua, and night monkeys.
Panama, or how I discovered the Neotropics
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5 Comments
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Michael Johnson
Sorry I don’t have any coordinates. I will try to give you a description, but it is now 12 months.
The spectacled owl: From the car park take the walking path on the right-hand side (facing the forest. There is a signed walk off to the right, use the path that heads straight into the forest away from the carpark. Once in the forest take the first path off to the right. The owls were on this path, on the right-hand side and no more than a oouple of hundred metres in. I remember we crossed a small stream.
Night monkeys: They were in a small triangular patch of forest that is bounded by the road that runs past the sloth sanctuary to the chairlift, the lake, and a stream. The roost was in a small open area dotted with trees but lacking much undergrowth. We were not far from the road (I think I could see it from there) and the nest tree was sort of in the back corner area. The entry to the forest area is next to a dirt car park opposite the far area of the sloth complex.
The family will enjoy the boat trip but you may need to communicate in Spanish that you are interested in wildlife not just sightseeing.
Otherwise as much night work as you can manage. Any road/path running along an area of forest is possible. Walking the Semaphore Road would be great but maybe too steep/long for the family.
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Michael Johnson
In preparing for this trip, this was a species that was not even on my radar as possible.
It is hard to say if it is reliable or not yet. The other observation was only a month prior to us and therefore almost certainly the same animal, so there is no way to know if it was in an established territory, or perhaps just a dispersing male forced into unsuitable habitat.
One thing for sure we would not have found it or even looked for it if it were not for Jonathon. The local guides seemed not to know about it. Hopefully this report, the iNaturalist report and an increase in interest from local guides, will encourage others to look for it there.
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Tau Conrad
Thank you for your report. We are visiting Panama in a month. It’s a family trip and we won’t hire a guide, but just drive/hike around on our own. But sometimes I’m worried we won’t see much without a guide. Do you know the coordinates, or could you provide a description on the direction to the roost sites for
1. Night monkey near the Sloth Sanctuary
2. Spectacled owl in the Caminos des Cruces National Park?
Thanks!