An unexpected explorative trek around the island of Gobernadora, Panama.

A short narrative by our team leader

I was swinging gently in the hammock beneath the mango tree , watching the grass grow and listening to music when I noticed Adrian had his boots on, and was holding a machete in his hand with a purposeful look on his face. I took my headphones out and asked what he was up to “I’m going to go and climb the mountain” he said.

We were on the little known island of Gobernadora, a neighbour of the much larger and slightly better known Cebaco island, which we had been exploring new trails on the day before.

The Mountain Adrian was referring to was not a mountain of epic proportions or particularly challenging as far as the climb went. The hard part was navigating the many machete made trails that crisscrossed through the islands often dense undergrowth. That and the fact it was nearly midday already and it was Hot, this was an normally an early morning activity. Hold on a minute I said, ill come as well. I grabbed my pack and chucked, in some water, peanuts and a flashlight (just in case) and a compass and we set off.
White faced Monkey

The beginning of the trail was shaded and straight forward relaxed walking, crossing over the small river and passing by the swimming hole we planned on cooling off in upon our return. We stopped to look at the cattle heart butterflies fluttering around in the undergrowth and took out time ducking beneath vines and looking up at the birds surfing above on the thermal waves.

The paths continued to twist and turn and just when they seem to be going up and towards the mountain, where we wanted to be, they would dip down again and take us away from where we thought we should be headed. Occasionally through gaps in the foliage above we could see the mountain and when the paths forked in all directions we took the one which seemed most uphill or towards our last sighting of the mountain.

We came out into a small clearing where a small rancho (cabin) was rotting away and slowly being taken back by nature. Around the dilapidated shack empty rum bottles littered the ground , the garden was full of red, pink and yellow orchids, bananas stems were clustered in one corner and spiky pineapple plants occupied another.

This seem to be a little hidden paradise bar, away from the rest of the island and the village. It had clearly been a while since the last person had been there though and I joked with Adrian that perhaps the wives had found out and put a stop to it.

Pushing through the large leaves and stepping through the twisting vines that seemed determined to trip us up, we came out on the other side of the garden on a trail which we presumed was the same one we had been on before. We carried on chatting away and stopped to take some photos of a Huntsman spider that was perched on the log we were using to cross a stream.

After a while we were aware we only seemed to be going downwards now and when we came out onto the open flank of a mountain we knew we had gone the wrong way, as we now seemed to be making our way down to the other side of the island. Around us now the land was farmed slightly, with rows of Yuka neatly growing and Corn sprouting up side by side.

We decided to continue on regardless of where this path was taking us, along the main river of the island. After three hours we eventually came out in a little bay and there we found a beautiful little house on its own private beach completely isolated from the world.

At the end of the beach where the river met the ocean a man was checking the fish trap he had made with the use of all the plastic bottles that had washed up there. He told us the best way to head back would be to follow the coastline, so we set off down the beach and I noticed that this guy didn’t even have a boat. I wondered when the last time he had left that beach or seen other people, it can’t have been often two strangers came staggering out on his beach.

As we walked it was sad to see that due to how the currents hit this side of the island there was so much plastic pollution spoiling this otherwise pristine environment, with hundreds and hundreds of plastic bottles and other pieces of unnecessary packaging stacked high on the tide line. I decided that at some point Discover Hidden Panama would return by boat and clean that beach that I had now named bottle beach and use the bottles for something productive.

spider in Panama

Huntsman spider

Adrian had been walking is some sensible rubber boots for this journey, I had left mine back on the mainland and instead was wearing like slippers, with my heel sticking out the back, a pair of old abandoned nikeys I had found the year before. They were now disintegrating and my toes were protruding out the end and so we had to stop while I incorporated the shoelaces to also hold together the three layers of shoe.Then we were off again but it was not an easy walk for the next few hours as we clambered up through the solid jungle hacking with our machetes when there was no passable shoreline and then stumbled back down and continued along the jagged rocky shoreline. We stopped for a few water breaks along the way and to take some photos of some rock pools that were a light pink colour on the inside and the limpets there that date back to the era of the dinosaurs.

We probably shouldn’t have as then the rain came in and with it the wind and by the time we made it back to the village just after the sun had set , soaked , muddy, blistered and bleeding . Locals were just about to send out a search party to look for us. We decided later over a cold beer (at the only cantina in town) that while it had been worth doing, this was probably was not a trip to take people on in the future…. hmmm….but why not???

Comments by Adrian

Preparation is always important in all walks and treks. Although Gobernadora island is a small island, it took us over eight hours to cross over to the other side and reach the so called bottle beach, (real name is Camaron beach), and walk back along the coast to reach our final destination. Although we have vast experience in trekking, we really did underestimate this explorative trek. It was fun and quite interesting, One thing that I really was not expecting was when we found a scuba diving cylinder in the middle of nowhere. Old and rusty, but as a dive instructor, I found it very amusing.

Walking along the coast, was very rocky, with small patches of sandy beaches, well not real sand but coarse small rocks and shells. However it gave me the opportunity to observe some interesting Intertidal habitats. Many classes of abalones, especially the commonly named ses snails. turbin snails, limpets, sea urchins and crabs. Chitons or as many people describe them as sea cockroaches, possibly the common chiton or maybe chiton Stokessi, which at first glance seem fossils, but are alive were observed. Something impressive was the light pink colouring of the intertidal pools, probably caused by microscopic marine algae.  So another visit, better prepared is on the cards.

My apologies to Christine, our backup, who was at the point of setting out a search party. We had promised we would be back for (late) dinner……..

On: By: Posted in Adventure, Conservation, New Discoveries, Travel Panama
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Brown-Back Dove: Weekly Wildlife Spotlight

Photo Courtesy of Bird Coiba

Photo Courtesy of Bird Coiba

Scientific Name:

Leptotila Battyi

Common Name:

Brown-back Dove

Population Estimate:

Estimated to be between 10,000 and 20,000. The population is suspected to be declining slowly, because of on-going habitat destruction and hunting.
 
 
 

Where To Find Them:

The Brown-backed Dove is endemic to Panama. They can only be found on Isla Coiba, Isla Cebaco, and in Cerro Hoya National Park on the Azuero Peninsula. On the mainland, the dove is typically found in areas, because of the habitat destruction in the lowlands of the Azuero Peninsula. On Coiba and Cebaco, the Brown-back inhabits wooded swamps and high forest.

How to Spot Them:

These brown doves are medium-sized with a grey nape, throat and crown. Their brown tail is tipped with white. The doves underparts are white on the belly, and their legs are a dull red.

IUCN Redlist Status:

IUCN has rated the Brown-back Dove as VULNERABLE and is close to being listed as endangered because of its limited range.

How We’re Helping:

We are working with two NGOs to track these and other birds on Coiba. We are currently working with both the National and Panama Audubon Societies to photograph and gather data on the Brown-back Dove in order to help track population and species health. We are also working with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in gathering data on this endemic bird.
 
We regularly lead bird-watching hikes through Coiba’s pristine, primary rain-forest and teach our guests how to better photograph and gather information on their bird sightings. We also teach travelers how to use their findings to contribute to the work of our NGO partners.

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Five Amazing Birds Found in Panama

Five Amazing Birds Found in Panama

Panama, and more specifically, Coiba National Park, is home to an exciting population of birds, some of which are hard to find anywhere else. Journey with us to view the diversity of Panama’s bird population.
 

Scarlet Macaw

The Scarlet Macaw gets its name from the vibrant red feathers covering a large portion of its body. They are known for having relatively long tail feathers which are usually light blue. The upper wings are yellow and the flight feathers of the wing are dark blue. Although the Scarlet Macaw is listed on the IUCN Red List as “Least Concern” worldwide, it is considered endangered in Panama and is very rarely seen on the mainland. Cobia Island is the best place to get a look at this tropical beauty!

Scarlet Macaw

Scarlet Macaw

Crested Eagle

The Crested Eagle is a neotropical eagle, meaning it can be found throughout the neotropical region, it can be easily spotted by the prominent crest at the top of its head. The Crested Eagle is a very large raptor and loves catching a variety of animals around Coiba Island, including fish and snakes. The Crested Eagle is listed as “Near Threatened” on the IUCN Red List. They live at very low densities, meaning they require a considerable amount of space between each other. Consequently, Crested Eagles are seen infrequently in the wild.

Crested Eagle

Crested Eagle

Coiba Spinetail

The Coiba Spinetail, a subspecies of the rusty-backed spinetail, is an endemic species to Coiba. Although they are fairly common on Coiba, they are considered vulnerable due to their lack of range outside of the island. The Coiba Spinetail can be identified by its rusty-brown colored wings, crown, and tail. Its head is brown with grey streaks.

Coiba Spinetail and Nest

Coiba Spinetail and Nest – Photo Credit: Glenn J. Lee

Brown-Backed Dove

The Brown-Backed Dove is endemic to Panama and is most commonly found on the islands of Cebaco and Coiba. It is listed as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List due to its relatively small range, though the population within Panama seems to be quite healthy. Brown-Backed Doves can be identified by their brown back and wings. Its crown, nape, and throat are grey in color.

Photo Courtesy of Bird Coiba

Photo Courtesy of Bird Coiba

Scaly-Breasted Hummingbird

The Scaly-Breasted Hummingbird, also known as the Scaly-Breasted Sabrewing, is a relatively large hummingbird common in Central America and northern Columbia. It has vibrant, almost iridescent green feathers and can be found in a variety of habitats including dry forests, rain forests and mangroves. They are often seen on Coiba and the surrounding area. The Scaly-Breasted Hummingbird is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and is not believed to be in any danger of vulnerability.

Scaly Breasted Hummingbird

Scaly Breasted Hummingbird

On: By: Posted in Birds, Central America, Coiba, Conservation, Latin America, Panama, Research, Travel Panama, Wildlife
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Weekly Wildlife Spotlight: Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Hawksbill Sea Turtle
 

Scientific Name:

Eretmochelys imbricata

Common Name:

Hawksbill – Named for its narrow head and hawk-like beak.

Population Estimate:

20,000 – 23,000 nesting females.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Where To Find Them:

Hawksbills are mostly found in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. The Hawksbill’s narrow head and beak-shaped jaws allow it to get food from crevices in coral reefs. They eat sponges, anemones, squid and shrimp.
Hawksbills are typically found around coastal reefs, rocky areas, estuaries and lagoons. They nest at intervals of 2-4 years and usually nest between 3-6 times per season. An adult female will usually lay an average of 160 eggs per nest, these eggs will incubate for a period of about 60 days.

How to Spot Them:

The Hawksbill is among the smallest in the sea turtle family. Its head is narrow, has two pairs of scales in front of its eyes and a serrated jaw. An adult Hawksbill typically weigh 100-155 pounds (46-70 kg.) and measures 2.5-3 feet (71-89 cm) in length.
The shell of the Hawksbill is elliptical in shape and its flippers each have two claws. Its shell is typically orange, brown, or yellow, while the shells of hatchlings are mostly brown with pale blotches on their scales.

IUCN Redlist Status:

Hawksbill sea turtles are listed as Endangered (in danger of extinction within the foreseeable future) in the U.S. and Critically Endangered (facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future) internationally. The greatest threat to the Hawksbill sea turtle is hunting for their prized shell, often referred to as “tortoise shell.” In some countries the shell is still used to make hair ornaments, jewelry, and other decorative items.

How We’re Helping:

Not long ago, most researchers thought hawksbills had been eliminated from the eastern Pacific Ocean. Recent discoveries and new projects have changed the conservation outlook for this endangered species and inspired hope for its recovery. Of all the sea turtle conservation issues, the protection of Hawksbills in the eastern Pacific is one of the most pressing. The current low nesting numbers indicate that the turtle species is unlikely to survive without outside action and conservation efforts.
 
We are working to bring more awareness to the current plight of the Hawksbill by organizing beach patrols to protect eggs and ward off poachers, tracking sightings of the turtles in our partnership with Sea Turtle Conservancy, as well as teaching the PADI Project AWARE Sea Turtle Awareness Distinct Specialty Course to those who join us in our programs and expeditions. With your help, we are striving to bring the Hawksbill back from the brink of extinction.

On: By: Posted in Central America, Coiba, Conservation, Latin America, Marine Life, Panama, Research, Sea Turtles, Wildlife Spotlight
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