Before travelling to Panama on a business visit in midJuly 2014, I knew little about the country apart from the Panama Canal.
I had never heard of anyone vacationing there, and had no idea what to expect. On my first and second trips, I had little opportunity to explore the country’s wilderness, but the little I saw made me want to revisit. On the third visit, in July 2016, I decided to travel to the Parque Nacional Soberanía (Soberania National Park) near Panama City.
I stayed at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort in the heart of the national park. Gamboa is about an hour’s drive from the Panama City airport. The resort itself sits on 340 acres of protected forests on the Chagres river, which feeds the man-made lakes of the Panama Canal. The resort is located where the scenic Chagres river meets the Panama Canal and is the only resort in the area. Escaping the noise and hectic pace of everyday life, I surrounded myself with the tranquility of the mystical Soberania National Park. It felt like I was connecting with nature in a pristine environment where explorers and pirates had once roamed.
Seventy per cent of the total population of the 3.8 million people of Panama are Mestizo (people of mixed Indian and European ancestry), while the native Indians comprise only six per cent. Spanish is the dominant language and, according to my guide, only about 18 per cent of Panamanians speak English fluently. I had to quickly learn a few words of Spanish.
BIRD HAVEN
Denne historien er fra November 2016-utgaven av Sanctuary Asia.
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Denne historien er fra November 2016-utgaven av Sanctuary Asia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Why Children Are Needed To Help Save The World
On my very first day in India, I encountered many marvelous new customs not practiced in the United States, my home country. But the most curious by far involved trees. Here and there, alongside the roaring streets of Mumbai were rings of marigold wreathed around twisting banyan trunks like dried rays of afternoon sunlight…
Who's Who?
Fact: all toads are frogs, but not all frogs are toads! Let’s unpack this...
The Sea Raptor
The White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster is one of the most common raptors along the Indian coastline. Nevertheless, the sight of this soaring, broad-winged, white and black bird of prey is nothing less than majestic
Bringing Up Bob Hoots.
While we were visiting a friend’s farm in the village of Yelachetty, near Bandipur Tiger Reserve, we found Spotted Owlets nesting on the tiled roof… and one of the chicks on the kitchen floor!
Yala, Land Of The Leopard
Yala is not only Sri Lanka’s second-largest, but also the most-visited national park in the island nation.
The Wizards Of Oz!
Australia is not only a country, but also a continent. The land down under, cut-off from the rest of the world has an abundance of unique species of native animals, birds, reptiles, insects and plants.
Scales & Tails
I was really excited and looking forward to the workshop on reptiles and amphibians at Nature’s Nest in Mollem, Goa, between June 24 and 26, 2017. It was my opportunity to meet renowned herpetologist Varad Giri.
Big, Brilliant And Endangered
When one thinks of elephants, the first word that probably comes to mind is BIG! But elephants, while they may be the largest creatures on land, are not just big and powerful, they’re wise and sensitive as well. Recent scientific studies have established that they are among the most intelligent animals in the world.
Earth Manners
Everyday habits matter! Let’s be kind to the planet, animals and ourselves!
World Scan
CHINA’S IVORY TOWNAn explosive investigation by the Environmental Investigation Agency has revealed how criminal gangs originating from an obscure town in southern China have come to dominate the smuggling of ivory tusks poached from African elephants.