A Harpy Eagle Story

Every so often a moment comes along that makes past efforts feel so rewarding.  I was just getting settled in at work at the Canopy Tower the other day, and all of a sudden I hear my wonderful coworkers shouting "JENN! JENN!".  It broke all tranquility of the morning and caught me off guard.  I ran outside and looked up at the third floor, where Jorge and Aura were standing in the window yelling "HARPY EAGLE!!"  We ran to grab binoculars, spotting scope, camera, phones etc and within moments we had the sight of a beautiful adult Harpy Eagle perched in the crown of an emergent tree beside the Tower.    

Harpy Eagle at the Canopy Tower

It was one of those moments, to see a Harpy Eagle in the wild, it doesn't get much better than that.  However, for me, it did.  The immense eagle perched comfortably with her back to us; once I saw her in the scope, I could see that this bird had an antenna on its back, extending from a radio transmitter.  I immediately knew she was a bird released by the Harpy Eagle Conservation and Research project operated by the Peregrine Fund.  I first came to Panama in November of 2008 to volunteer on this project, a very rewarding experience for me, and had the privilege to track several Harpy Eagles in Soberania National Park and learn about their behaviour and conservation.  The question was, who was it??

Trying my best not to startle the bird, I slowly found a good spot to hopefully see her identification band.  Persistence paid off and from a narrow angle looking up, I could see a faint "LV" on the blue band around its leg.  It was LV!  I couldn't believe it.  LV is a very special bird.  Here is her story.  

In 2008, a young Harpy Eagle was shot in Darien.  Likely still in her nest tree, and being tended to by devoted parents who had spent over a year and a half devotedly feeding and nurturing the eaglet.  Luckily, in her injured state, she was reported to officials in Panama and was rescued and brought to Panama City.  In the excellent hands of Peregrine Fund biologists and veterinarians, she had a surgery to repair her right wing, which sustained the injury.  When she gained enough strength, it was determined that she was a possible candidate for release.  To ensure her well-being, she was fitted with a VHF radio transmitter and PTT satellite transmitter, so the staff and volunteers could keep a close eye on her.  They also placed a sturdy metal band around her right leg, with the initials "LV".  She was released into Soberania National Park on March 9, 2009.  She was an estimated 2 years of age at her time of release.

LV being released along Pipeline Road

I was volunteering on the project at the time and was there for her release.  Her release was surreal for me, she was the only bird I saw released during my 7 months on the project, and I had the pure joy of following her and tracking her progress for 4 months of my time here.  When she was released, she had a rather shaky first flight to a low branch along Pipeline Road.  But she grew stronger and stronger every day.  Unsure if she had even started catching her own prey in the wild at her estimated age, we fed her every week, week after week.  We affectionately called her "Love".  And then on April 26, 2009, another milestone happened with LV.  We found her, along a beautiful ravine deep in the national park, with a freshly-killed Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth strung over a branch.  I will never forget the excitement and accomplishment I felt for her (and us!) that day.  

LV on April 18, 2009

When I left Panama in June 2009 after my time volunteering on the project, I said goodbye to LV for what I thought was the last time.  But on September 24, 2014, beyond all expectations,  there she was standing in front of me, 5½ years after her release, now in full adult plumage, incredibly beautiful, with every feather in perfect condition and no indication of ever having a wing injury.  

LV, as beautiful as ever in 2014

During the two hours she perched beside the Canopy Tower, we watched her movements--her floppy crest bouncing around with every head movement, brief preening sessions, and she was well aware of our presence as she looked down at us on occasion.  Then, she shifted her weight and opened her broad wings and flew down into the valley, out of sight.  We were amazed at her immense size when she flew.  We continued to hear her occasionally throughout the morning, she let us know that she wasn't far.  

I like to think that she came back for a visit, to let us know she is doing well in the lowland forests of Soberania National Park.  It is a great testament to the forest here, to be able to sustain a large forest eagle.  We hope the very best for her.  

~ Jenn 

It's been a while...

It has been a busy year in Panama to say the least.  I haven't had much time to write, but have so much inspiration over the past several months to do so.  Where do I start??  Now that its the low season I am determined, kind of as a "mid-year resolution" to post more here.  For the time being, I invite you to visit my Flickr page, where have posted my best nature photo over the past several months.  Here are a few of my favourites from July.  Enjoy!

Immature Collared Forest-Falcon (Micrastur semitorquatus), Metropolitan Natural Park

Tropical Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus oileus), Metropolitan Natural Park 

Gold-bordered Hairstreak (Rekoa palegon), Punta Culebra 

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura similis), Gatun

~ Jenn 

Nature's Freak Show

Following my ever-freaky blog entry about killer fungi (Cordyceps), I recently had the opportunity to see a fully-developed larvae of a Botfly, another one of nature's freaky creatures that will creep out just about anyone!  So of course, I have to write about it (if you think about it, it’s fascinating as well).  

What’s so freaky about this fly? 

The botfly (family Oestridae) is a parasitic fly in which its larvae require a soft, protective “home” in order to develop.  Botflies, however, choose the skin of animal hosts, including humans, as the perfect place to for their maggots to develop.  Female bot flies lay their eggs on their vector, most often mosquitos but also other species of flies and a species of tick.  When the vector bites the host, the egg or hatched larvae is transferred onto the skin of the host, which then attaches and buries itself into the skin.  There it creates a home for the next several weeks as it grows.  Botfly maggots anchor themselves in their “home” with rows of hooks around its body, and two fang-like mandibles.  They feed on the blood and tissue of their hosts.  They require air through a breathing hole in the skin, and their chamber is maintained and cleaned by an antiseptic secretion.  Botflies do not kill their hosts, and after the larval development, the maggot will drop from the skin of its animal host and pupate in the ground.  Botflies are particularly common in mammalian hosts in warm, tropical regions, but temperate regions are not out of the question either, as deer, caribou and livestock are often used as hosts.

Wait, it gets freakier… there is a human botfly!  Dermatobia hominis is a species that will seek out human hosts.  I have a number of friends that have had botflies during their field seasons here in the Neotropics.  Most people try to remove them early on in their development stages, as they can cause significant pain with those hooks and mouthparts as they get larger.  Generally, only hard core entomologists are willing to try to let a larval botfly grow to full term. 

Craig's botfly

This week, I met a man with a human botfly in his scalp.  When he told me that it had been there for over 70 days, I was surprised, this creature must have been huge and getting ready to pupate.  I had to see it!  By this point in its development, they can cause extreme pain to the host, and Craig could attest to that. 

So the night before, we treated it with an herbal compound paste, which essentially blocks its breathing hole and causes it to relax its muscles.  The next morning, they squeezed the maggot out.  It was huge, about the size of a peanut.  It must have been just days away from leaving its human “home”.  The intact maggot was placed in a jar of alcohol—a rather interesting souvenir to take home from the tropics!

Sloth Rescue

It's been a busy month!  During my little hiatus from posting to my blog (and believe me, I have a lot to catch up on), I have had a great visit from my Dad (his first time in Panama), moved houses, and picked up the pace at work.. including spending much more time in the field!  Which means, more natural encounters!  I have so much to say, had a lot of great sightings in the last month, but I'll start with this one.

Three-toed Sloth crossing the road

Yesterday we were on our way back to the Canopy Tower from Gamboa after a morning of birding along Pipeline Road, and saw a Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth crossing the highway.  We pulled over to get a closer look and help her across the road.  Traffic flies down this highway, and unfortunately a lot of animals—from snakes to anteaters to vultures, and everything in between—get hit regularly.  

As we took a closer look at her, we could see a small arm wrapped around her side—this mama had a baby holding on tight to her chest!  We slowed traffic to ensure they made it to the other side, and to make sure she didn't try crossing back again, Alexis picked her up and placed her and her baby on the trunk of a tree.  

Mama and baby Three-toed Sloth

Mama sloth on tree

Brown-throated Three-toed Sloths are one of six species of sloths, classified into two families, Megalonychidae (two-toed sloths) and Bradypodidae (three-toed sloths).  They are slow-moving, arboreal mammals; they spend almost all their time in the treetops.  They come down to the ground only once a week, to go to the bathroom!  Sloths have long, coarse fur, which is often home to a variety of other organisms, including moths, beetles and fungi.  They often appear greenish, due to the presence of algae in their fur.  They eat leaves, shoots and buds, and are particularly fond of Cecropia trees, making them easy to spot.  Due to their folivorous diet, they receive very little energy from their food, and have lower metabolic rates and body temperatures than other mammals.  They are generally very slow moving, and spend a lot of time sleeping.  In fact, the Spanish name for sloth is "perezoso", meaning lazy!  In central Panama, two species of sloth—Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth and Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth—are common, and once you get your sloth-spotting eyes attuned, you may see them on a regular basis in Soberania National Park and other forested areas.  They are truly a unique animal.        

~ Jenn 

Cordyceps: killer fungi

Most of the time, we see what's beautiful, enticing and admirable in the natural world.  However, we are all well aware that there are many challenges to the struggle for live of any living organism—predators, climate change, natural disasters, human activity—as we tend to see more and more of in the media, documentaries, and witness in person in our daily lives.  

Wasp killed by Cordyceps fungus in Panama

A few weeks ago during a visit to the Canopy Lodge in El Valle, I was walking around the gardens and spotted this unusual creature on a low palm frond.  Upon closer examination, I saw that it was a wasp - but something wasn't right.  This wasp had two large, white projections emerging out of its thorax, and white spines over its legs and other parts of its body.  It was motionless.  I knew exactly what had happened.

In tropical regions, there are some rather unlikely predators, and they kill in rather gruesome ways.  Aside from large cats, raptors, and many other predators out there, there exists the strange and ruthless world of Cordyceps—an endoparasitoid fungi that attacks insect and arthropod hosts.  When this fungus attacks a host, it releases mycelium, which replaces the host tissues.  It also causes a change in behaviour of the host, perhaps an ant or wasp, causing it (if a social insect) to leave its colony and climb up a branch or shrub and attach there before they die.  This change in behaviour ensures that the spores of the fungus will be released in the optimal surroundings to maximize distribution.   Once the host is in position, the mycelium then forms a fruiting body—usually a cylindrical, branched or complex projection—which emerges through the exoskeleton of the host.  Spores are released through this fruiting body.  Cordyceps means "club head", referring to the shape of the fruiting bodies.  The spores are very potent, and this killer fungus can wipe out entire colonies of insects.  Check out this video from Planet Earth.  

Moth showing small Cordyceps fruiting bodies in Ecuador, 2010

Cricket killed by Cordyceps fungus in Ecuador, 2010

Bullet Ant - note the elongated fruiting body extending from back of head.  Ecuador, 2010

It sounds (and looks!) like something out of a grotesque sci-fi movie, but this is real.  In the time I have spent living and working in tropical humid environments, I have come across this several times.  I have seen moths, crickets, bullet ants, and other insects parasitized by these unusual killers.  Here are a few photos I have taken in recent years of various Cordyceps attacks. The fruiting bodies take on different forms and colours, depending on the species of Cordyceps (there are approximately 400 described species and many more remain undescribed), and I have never seen two alike. 

So its not just some mammals, birds, reptiles and other animals, even plants that have mastered their roles as predators, but an entire world of predatory and parasitic fungi, which continues to show us the complexity and diversity of the world we live in.  Incredible!

~ Jenn 

Great Curassows on Pipeline Road

It had been a little while since I had been to Pipeline Road and the Panama Rainforest Discovery Center, but when a friend called me up to go for a walk I was more than happy to head out to one of my favourite places on this planet.  We left early on the morning of October 11, and arrived at the entrance of Pipeline Road around 6:30 am, and the bird activity had just started.  We watched the hummingbirds at the Visitors Center, walked a short trail and spent some time on the tower before the rains started before mid-morning.  Highlights included a Great Black-Hawk and over 100 migrating Common Nighthawks seen from the tower.  Here is an e-bird checklist of the morning.  

Great Curassows

We didn't have a lot of time in the morning, but managed to get out before the heavy rains started and continued through the rest of the day.  As we were driving out on Pipeline Road, we spotted three large birds walking down the road ahead.  I quickly picked up my binoculars and saw that they were Great Curassows, the largest member of the Cracidae family in Central America.  Great Curassows are rare on Pipeline Road, due to years of over-hunting in the area.  In 2009, I had two sightings of Great Curassows on Pipeline Road, but far in, well past 15 km from the entrance.  Recently, there have been occasional sightings closer to the entrance, and this trio was less than a kilometre from the gate.  They were all in female plumage, but it was not determined whether one or more were young males.  We watched the trio for 10-15 minutes, until they moved off the road into the forest when a car came along, and were seen feeding on fruits under a Ficus tree not far from the road.  

Great Curassow

The Great Curassow (Crax rubra) is a large, turkey-like bird of the lowland humid forests of Central America and northwestern South America.  Males are stark black with a yellow knob at the base of its beak and white undertail coverts.  Females generally have a reddish-brown body and dark grey neck and head, sometimes with barring in the wings, and have a heavily barred tail.  Both sexes have a curled crest.  Their diet consists mostly of fruit, but they will also feed on small invertebrates and sometimes vertebrates as well.  They are often found feeding on the ground, and also spend time feeding and roosting in the mid-story and even the upper levels of the forest.  Due to over-hunting and habitat loss in many parts of its range, the Great Curassow is considered vulnerable by IUCN, and their populations are decreasing.  Hopefully with the extent of protected areas in Panama and throughout the Neotropics, their populations will stabilize and we will begin to enjoy regular sightings of these beautiful birds.  

We were going to carry on for a walk at Metropolitan Park in Panama City, but the heavy rain forced us to reschedule, that will be saved for drier day.  

~ Jenn 

Little-known Manatees of Panama

Finding Neotropical mammals is always a rewarding challenge.  There is a great diversity of mammals in Panama, over 230 species are found in this small country, in a wide variety of habitats.  It is the best place I know to see sloths, two species, in all of the Americas.  In certain places, common forest mammals such as Central American Agoutis and White-nosed Coatis are common.  Lesser Capybaras live along the banks of the mighty Chagres River, which feeds into the Panama Canal.  Panama is a wonderful place to search for mammals, but it is not as easy as it may seem.  Many Neotropical mammals by nature are nocturnal, which means spending time in the deep darkness of the forests to find them.  Certain species, like cats, are incredibly elusive.  Finding these animals requires patience and at times, may seem like a near-impossible task.  

I had heard rumors of a population of West Indian Manatees, one of Panama's rarest mammals, living in Lake Gatun.  Odd reports show up here and there, many of them are unfortunately of carcasses that float to the surface.  Manatees are fully aquatic, and live in tranquil, dark waters of shallow lakes, thus are rarely encountered.  Aerial surveys may be the best way to see these large mammals in quiet bays from above, other than that, a sighting of a manatee in Panama is a very rare occasion. 

On September 12, I guided a jungle boat tour along the Panama Canal and Lake Gatun.  We had perfect weather, and as we cruised around the waters and scanned the banks, we came across an abundance of animals - Snail Kites, American Crocodiles, Iguanas, White-headed Capuchins, Mantled Howlers, Limpkins, Proboscis Bats, and so much more.  About halfway through the tour (around 4:00 pm), as we glided in our little motor boat through the calm waters along the edges of Lake Gatun, I started to think about manatees, remembering that there are occasional sightings.  Not even two minutes later, we saw the large, rounded back emerge above the water surface, followed by the unique, round tail of a manatee.  We couldn't believe our eyes... a manatee!  Only metres from our boat!  We all saw it in great view.  Its true, they do exist in the dark waters of Lake Gatun.  Among many great wildlife sighting moments I have had, this is one of the most memorable.

The calm waters of Lake Gatun

So, what are manatees doing in the Panama Canal?  Information about the populations of manatees in Panama is not well-known, and there have been very little studies done to learn about their existence here.  In 1964, nine West Indian Manatees from Bocas del Toro and one Amazonian Manatee from Peru were introduced into Lake Gatun by the former Panama Canal Commission as a part of an aquatic vegetation control program.  The program was abandoned a few years later, and the manatees were left to live in the lake.  It is difficult to say how many manatees are here, but its not many; a study in 1980 estimated approximately 25 individuals, and a more recent study in 2008 resulted in 16 individuals seen in an aerial survey, this being the highest number ever recorded in Lake Gatun.  However, calves were seen so this population, although small, seems to be sustaining itself.  Hopefully the manatees of Panama will continue to live and reproduce in the waters of Lake Gatun. 

~ Jenn 

A Big Boa in Gamboa

You never know what you're going to find here, Gamboa is full of surprises.  Being surrounded by Soberania National Park, the Panama Canal and Chagres River, the wildlife here is abundant.  Even right in town, where it is not difficult to find frogs, lizards, birds, interesting insects and more.  

There are many snakes around town, but aren't encountered as frequently as a lot of the other animals, not by me anyways.  However, the other day, I was heading out of town with a friend when we passed a truck pulled over on the side of the road and two men with cameras pointed at the grass.  Then I took a quick glance, and saw a large Boa Constrictor!  So we pulled over and got out to take a look.  

Boa Constrictor 

Boa Constrictors are a well-known snake native to the lowland tropical forests of Central and South America.  They are a large, heavy-bodied snake that can reach up to 4 metres in length and can weigh more than 100 lbs.  As their name suggests, they are "constrictors", killing their prey by wrapping their strong, muscular body around their prey, slowly squeezing them to death.  They hunt just about anything they can catch, such as monkeys, otters, birds and peccaries.  Boa Constrictors are hunted for their ornately-patterned skin and due to other pressures including habitat loss, they are considered an endangered species in many countries.  

This snake looked like it had just eaten a good meal, perhaps an agouti it found in town.  As it sat on the grass, this boa was being pestered by people and dogs, at which it defended itself well.  Eventually, with a rainstorm around mid-day, the snake retreated out of sight, back into the woodlot.  To me and a lot of other people I know, snake sightings are always exciting.  We have to give these graceful, capable reptiles more credit as they play an important role in their environment.  I'm always looking forward to the next snake I see...

~ Jenn 

Boquete: A Breath of Fresh Air

After leaving Coiba Island and Santa Catalina, we decided to make a spontaneous trip up to Boquete, in the highlands of western Panama.  Although it was still a fair ways further west toward Costa Rica, we thought we would take the opportunity to cool ourselves off before heading back to Gamboa.  I had yet to visit Boquete, so I was looking forward to getting to know a new part of Panama.  We arrived late, around 11 pm, and checked into a hostel near the main square in town.  

River through Boquete town

Boquete is situated at an elevation of 1200 metres, and is a popular little tourist town, full of ex-pats who have settled in the bustling town.  Not far from Boquete is Volcan Baru, Panama's highest peak and only volcano.  The town is surrounded by beautiful cloud forest, rivers, Friendship International Park (Parque Internacional La Amistad, shared with Costa Rica) and plenty of opportunities for tourism and exploration.  Tour operators in Boquete offer river rafting and kayaking, volcano excursions, hiking, waterfalls, horseback riding, strawberry tours, hot springs and more.  We just planned to have the day in Boquete, and wanted to make the most of it.  In the morning, we walked around town, took some photos, and arranged a tour to visit the "Lost Waterfalls" in the afternoon.  We were not prepared for cooler weather, so I bought a sweater from a lovely little Ecuadorian shop in town.  

Cloud forest

Unfortunately, it started to rain just before our tour, on and off, at times heavy.  When David, our guide, arrived, we talked about possibilities for the afternoon - visit the hot springs instead, or postpone the tour until tomorrow morning.  But at that point it wasn't raining, so he suggested we drive to the trail head to see if the weather clears up.  As we headed out of Boquete and up into higher elevation, it did brighten up and the rain stopped, so we started on our walk to see the waterfalls.  We hiked up and up into beautiful cloud forest, draped with epiphytes and moss.  Cloud forest is laden with mist, as its name suggests.  It is a cool, humid environment, and receives a lot of rain throughout the year.  Therefore, it is very lush and green, and supports a great diversity of wildlife.  I find cloud forests incredibly refreshing, and the cool air was such a nice change to the hot, humid, sticky climate of Gamboa.  

After a short hike, we arrived at a beautiful waterfall, ending in a pool of fresh mountain water.  David said that we could swim here, but we felt that we had spent enough time in the water on the coast and preferred to stay dry; furthermore, the water is very, very cold!  Not for me :)   David showed us into a small cave beside the waterfall which contained a base of clay.  There was also a nest of a species of swift, well-fastened to the wall of the cave, very cool!  When we emerged from the cave, it started to rain.  So we decided to head back.  We took a different trail back, which brought us by another waterfall, taller than the first.  Even though it was raining pretty hard, we still took advantage to eat our lunch, take photos and chat with David.  Despite the rain, we really enjoyed our tour; although still learning, David was knowledgeable about the forest and key wildlife, and he even picked us some mountain blackberries on the way back to the truck. 

Boquete waterfall

It was a short trip to Boquete, but that breath of fresh air we received was exactly what we needed before heading back to the hot lowlands of central Panama.  It is a beautiful place, situated in the shadows of Volcan Baru, and I am already looking forward to going back.  Refreshed and ready to get back home, we boarded a night bus back to Panama City. 

~ Jenn  

More Coiba Island Photos

Here are some of my favourite photos from Coiba Island; please check out my Flickr page for more photos from Coiba.  Enjoy! ~ Jenn 

Isla Granito del Oro

Hermit crabs attacking a coconut, Isla Granito del Oro

Hermit crab

Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, Tigrisoma mexicanum

View from lookout on Coiba Island, with ranger station below

Beach at the ranger station, Coiba Island

Sunrise on Coiba Island

Coiba Island Ranger Station

Palm trees on Isla Rancheria

Isla Rancheria

Our boat at Coiba Island

Coiba National Park: A Nature Lover's Paradise

Isla Rancheria (Isla Coibita)

Well, I think Coiba Island could be considered a paradise for just about anyone.  Located 22 kilometres off the Pacific coast of Panama, Coiba Island is home to a wide diversity of wildlife, including may endemic species and subspecies, as well as endangered species including 4 species of sea turtles and is the only place where Scarlet Macaws can be found in Panama.  The island is surrounded by warm waters, ideal for coral reefs and an abundance of marine wildlife.  On the island, several endemic species of birds and mammals, including the Coiban Agouti, Coiba Island Howler Monkey, Coiba Honeybee and Coiba Spinetail.  

Coiba Island is the 2nd largest island in the Americas, aside from the Caribbean (1st is Vancouver Island).  It was believed to be formed from volcanic origins in the region of the Galapagos Islands, 70 million years ago, which over millions of years, drifted to the Pacific side of Central America.  Approximately 12 000 years ago, Coiba Island was a part of the mainland; eventually, the sea level rose again and Coiba was once again isolated.  This explains why the wildlife on the island is similar to that of mainland Panama.  The entire island and its surrounding waters were designated a national park in 1991 in order to protect the unique flora and fauna that live there and migrate through - including the annual migration of Humpback Whales.  Coiba National Park expands over 270,000 hectares, with only 20% land contained in that area.   

Coiba Island has remained relatively untouched, with very little human settlement over the course of its history.  The island still has the remains of a penal colony that operated from 1919 to 2004, which largely took part in keeping people away.  Since the designation of the national park, Coiba Island now has a ranger station and a few biological stations operated by the Smithsonian Institute on the main island and surrounding islands.  

For years now I had heard so many good things about visiting Coiba Island, yet had not visited in previous trips to Panama.  So, for my 30th birthday, we decided a trip to Coiba would be the best way to celebrate!  Our Coiba adventure started the morning of August 24th, my birthday; we packed our bags for a few days and headed to Panama City.  From there we traveled by bus to Sona, then to Santa Catalina in the province of Veraguas, on the Pacific coast of Panama.  Happy to arrive and starving from the long drive, we settled into Cabanas Rolo, a decent hostel in town.  We were both craving seafood, and found a small restaurant that made us excellent fried corvina (seabass) loaded with a generous side of patacones - the perfect birthday meal!  Then we started asking around for tours to Coiba.  We were told that to stay overnight on the island we would need a group of 6 people.  Luckily, we came across 3 Spanish travelers seeking more people to stay overnight on the island as well, which worked out perfectly.  We arranged our tour for the next 2 days, enjoyed a few cold beers along the beach, and had a good night sleep after a long travel day!

Humpback Whales

The next morning we were up early and met our guide, Victor, and the rest of our group.  There are no restaurants on Coiba and you cook for yourself at the ranger station, so we bought food for the trip and headed out to sea shortly after 8 am.  Dark stormy sky didn't keep us from enjoying the boat trip; not far from the mainland, we spotted a trio of Humpback Whales - which is what I really wanted to see this trip, I had never seen whales before.  It is whale migration season right now, and the waters surrounding Coiba are one of the best places to see these gigantic beauties.  Carrying on to Coiba Island, the weather improved and we saw dolphins and flying fish as we approached the island.  The boat trip to Coiba from Santa Catalina is approximately 1.5 hours.  

Ranger station on Coiba Island

We arrived at the ranger station in good time and got settled into our cabin.  Situated right along the water's edge, with a beautiful white sand beach and palm trees, this is truly a paradise!  Compared to other ANAM ranger stations I have stayed at in Panama, this one was by far the best.  It is a decent size, comfortable beds, sheets provided and has private bathrooms in the cabins. 

An invasion of hermit crabs

The main activity we did for the 2 days was snorkeling - Coiba is a wonderful location for scuba diving and snorkeling.  After dropping off our bags at the ranger station, we eagerly headed to Isla Granito del Oro.  This tiny island is surrounded by tropical coral reefs and was a great start to our snorkeling adventure.  Here we saw an abundance of tropical fish - parrot fish, trigger fish, puffers and blennies, and dozens of different species, big and small - I wish I had an underwater camera to remember them all.  The most memorable moment on Isla Granito del Oro, however, were the hermit crabs.  We found a coconut and opened it up.  Moments later, dozens of hermit crabs emerged, seemingly from nowhere yet from every which direction!  Worse, we decided to eat our sandwiches here.  As it turns out, hermit crabs are very fond of coconut, and ham sandwiches.  Within minutes we were encroached upon by hundreds of hermit crabs, all wanting a bite of our lunch!  Our two days at Coiba offered us plenty of snorkeling, a little bit of hiking, and time to relax and enjoy the beaches.  Further underwater sightings included White-tipped Reef Sharks, Green Sea Turtle, Southern Ray, Reef Manta Ray, coronetfish, moray eels, prawns, 15-point starfish, clams, and much more.  

Isla Rancheria

The next morning, Victor took us over to Isla Rancheria (also called Isla Coibita), not far from Coiba Island.  The beach, with beautiful white sand and layered with palm trees, surrounded by pristine crystal blue waters and reef, seemed as if it's out of a travel magazine.  While eating fresh coconut, we spoke to the island ranger, who gave us permission to visit the Smithsonian Institute biological station located on the island and we spoke to a staff member about the work they do in the islands.

After our two days exploring the northern part of Coiba Island, we headed back to Santa Catalina.  Just before reaching the mainland, Victor stopped us on a tiny island, surrounded by black sand beach.  We had a small lunch here, and explored the island, looking at beautiful shells and (more) hermit crabs.  There was no other boat or person in sight.  It seemed to good to be true.  Our Coiba adventure had come to a close, but memories will stay strong for years, as this is truly one of the most incredible environments I have visited.  

~ Jenn         

Cool Caterpillars and their Defenses

Next to birds, insects are a very fascinating group of animals to me.  Especially lepidopterans - butterflies and moths.  I don't know what it is I like about them so much - their beauty, diversity, adaptations, an interest to follow their classification, and I really enjoy the challenges of identification.  Furthermore, they have changes in their life cycle that make it all the more fun to identify.  They undergo complete metamorphosis and their larvae, better known to us as caterpillars, are physically diverse with a wide variety of adaptations and defenses themselves.  So needless to say, wherever I am, coming across caterpillars is always entertaining for me.  

We recently went for a walk in Gamboa on a nice breezy afternoon after a rain.  As I now always try to have my camera with me, we stopped to photograph a sedge, of all things!  There is a species of sedge here, superficially resembling a grass, that appears to have been spray-painted the tops, which spread out in 3-6 blades, with the colour white.  Plants are not my strong point, so if anyone can help me with its identification, it would be much appreciated!  They are particularly pretty, so worth a stop to snap a few photos.  

After I got some photos, we noticed something hanging off a small papaya tree planted in the boulevard.  Upon closer investigation, it was a caterpillar, hanging off one of the papaya leaves.  At the base of the tree, there were two more.  These caterpillars were large, up to 10 cm long, and had a "horn" protruding from the back of its abdomen, a characteristic of "hornworms" or Sphinx moth caterpillars, in the family Sphingidae.  This is the larva of Alope Sphinx, Erinnyis alope.  This widespread species ranges from extreme southern United States through the tropical regions of Central and South America and the Caribbean, and even has a subspecies endemic to the Galapagos Islands!  The caterpillars feed on papaya, which was a nice confirmation of its species.  When in its dark phase, it is similar in appearance to Errynis ello, which rather feeds on pointsettia. 

Alope Sphinx caterpillar, Errinyis alope

Alope Sphinx caterpillar, Errinyis alope

Furthermore, to get a closer look at these larvae, we moved the leaf around and the caterpillar, alarmed, widened its thorax, which was a darker color than the rest of its body, and had a unique, white "starburst" marking, perhaps even resembling an eye.  It protruded its thorax, and reminded me of a caterpillar I saw posted on Facebook a few months ago of an Elephant Hawk-moth Caterpillar (Deilephila elpenor) from Europe & Asia that, when startled, can change its thorax to resemble the head of a pit-viper.  Its head is actually tucked under its body when it is in this defense position.  

Alope Sphinx caterpillar, Errinyis alope

While watching the caterpillars on the small papaya tree, we couldn't help but worry about their conspicuous appearance (being so big they were not difficult to see), and that they would be particularly appetizing to a passing thrush or antshrike.  Caterpillars evade predation in a number of ways, and depending on the species, have a variey of effective defenses, from resembling snakes and bird poop, to either exposed or concealed stinging spines containing potent toxins, toxic urticating hairs, aposematic (warning) coloration to announce to any potential predator that it would not be a tasty snack.  Check out this article for more examples of caterpillar defenses (and good photos).  By rearing up and showing off that large 'eye', perhaps this is how Errinyis alope avoids being eaten.  

A Caterpillar Warning: 

When growing up, I remember playing with caterpillars in my backyard.  Down here in Tropical America, I think twice about every caterpillar I see, and as a general rule, do not touch!  On more than one occasion, I have suffered stings from tropical caterpillars (however, stinging caterpillars are not restricted to the tropics, and can be found in temperate regions as well), and it is not a pleasant experience.  Caterpillars that sting and have urticating hairs can be quite toxic, and reported cases of human deaths due to caterpillar stings are not unheard of.  Just a word of advice and worth keeping in mind if traveling to the tropics, its a wild world down here, and creatures like caterpillars may not always be as friendly as they seem.  That being said, they are still cool to come across! 

~ Jenn 

Up close with Fiery-billed Aracaris

Prior to arriving in Costa Rica, I looked over the bird list for the San Vito area, to see what I should be pursuing in the area that I had not yet seen.  Among a few others, the bird I really wanted to see was the Fiery-billed Aracari, a medium-sized relative of a toucan that has a very limited range in western Panama and southern Costa Rica.  Upon arriving in San Vito, Monique and Alison told me that they see them regularly and I should be able to see them on my visit.  

Fiery-billed Aracari (Pteroglossus frantzii) at Wilson Botanical Garden

On my first afternoon at Wilson Botanical Garden/Las Cruces Biological Station, I went for a walk to a small mirador overlooking the valley.  Not much was moving around, and it was pretty quiet.  Just before I turned around to walk back, movement in the bushes below caught my eye, and I saw a large flash of red - the bill of a Fiery-billed Aracari!  This young bird sat in a little clearing in the shrubby vegetation, and I watched it for a while.  Not far away, 3 more aracaris were hopping through the trees, not far from me and easily visible.  As I continued on my walk, I saw a few more aracaris on the property that day as well.  

A few days later, while the nets were open at Finca Cantaros and we had a group of students visiting from the biological station.  Chespi and I, birds in hand, had our attention focused on processing birds, while the students asked questions and took photos.  Then Alison popped around the corner, with a Fiery-billed Aracari in her hands!  She had just gone on a net run and managed to grab this bird as it was running through a tramel of one of the nets (they are too big to get tangled in the gauge of the nets used).  Everyone grabbed cameras for photos, and Chespi carefully processed the bird.  Even though their bill is hollow, they can do a lot of damage, so Alison and Chespi took good care to keep its beak in control.  

The Fiery-billed Aracari, Pteroglossus frantzii, is a medium-sized member of the Toucan family, Ramphastidae.  They are similar to the widespread Collared Aracari, but have a red-orange upper mandible and a red band across their belly, not black as in the Collared Aracari. Even though that bill looks big and heavy, it is actually hollow, and is used for reaching fruits and berries, their main diet.  It is also believed to be used in temperature regulation.  It is found only in southern Costa Rica (on the Pacific side) and in extreme western Panama.  

~ Jenn