Exploring the Rainforest on Bastimentos Island

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Exploring the Rainforest on Bastimentos Island
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• Panamas rainforests exhibit a staggering array
  of plant and animals. Numbers such as these hint
  at the extent of the biodiversity
• 940 bird species,
• 10,000 plant species including 1,200 species of
  orchids,
• 1,500 species of trees, and,
• 678 fern species.
• Panama has set aside 25 of its land area for
  conservation and created 14 National Parks.
  Unfortunately, pressure on these protected
  ecosystems continues to diminish the population
  of some of the most spectacular species including
  the Jaguar, Harpy Eagle, American Crocodile, and
  Ocelots.
• Our hike in the rainforest introduced us to
  examples of the remarkable biodiversity and to
  the tragic consequences of human actions.

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We started out on Isla Colon and traveled on a
water taxi to Isla Bastimentos. Our destination
was Old Town and Tio-Toms Hostel. Tom, a
German national with ten years experience in
Bocas del Toro, agreed to guide us into the
islands rainforest. Old Town, the largest
settlement on Bastimentos, is on the northwest
tip of the island. From Toms we boarded a
dugout canoe powered by a five horsepower
outboard motor and set out along the southwest
coast of the bay.
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As we neared the end of the Bay, we spotted
rivers flowing through the mangroves. The
exposed river bank and roots indicated that the
tide was out and our journey up-river might be
shorter than expected.
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This muddy river was deep enough to allow us to
travel through the mangrove swamp. Tom pointed
out the red mangrove and later the white mangrove
trees as he piloted the canoe up the twisting
river. Each tree has unique adaptations to allow
their roots to survive in the salt-saturated
soil. The mangrove ecosystem is rich in animal
life, particularly marine animals. Crabs, small
fish, caimans, oysters, and egrets are a few of
the species that reside in this environment. To
learn more about the mangrove ecosystem follow
the link to the Smithsonian Institutes virtual
tour of Mangel Cay.
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One of the first animal species we spotted was a
black hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus.) Perched
above the river, our presence caused no change in
its behavior. The hawk calmly watched as we
passed directly beneath its point of lookout.
The branch hung out over the water. From there
the hawk could scan the river and banks for food.
A predator of small fish, land crabs, snakes and
frogs, this bird was ideally placed to find a
meal.
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Red mangrove seedlings emerge and grow along the
river bank. The red mangrove is critically
important for holding the soil in place. The
black soil horizon extending down to the water
line indicates the lack of oxygen. The black
color is due to the accumulation of sulfur
compounds in the soil.
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Panama has fourteen National Parks. Our
destination was Bastimentos Island National
Marine Park (BINMP) which covers an area of
nearly 30,000 acres of land and sea. We expected
to reach an area of mature tropical rainforest.
The Nature Conservancy is an active participant
in the group developing the management plan for
the park.
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We crossed smaller streams as we climbed up and
away from the river. The soil was saturated with
water and in places it was like stepping into
pudding. The forest had been cleared in this
area approximately 30 years ago. The remnants of
an abandoned cacao plantation were scattered
amongst the native vegetation.
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Further into the park we reached this area of
secondary forest. The larger trees are 60 to 80
years old and the buttressed roots are forming.
The forest still allows light to reach the forest
floor stimulating the growth of tree seedlings.
This part of the rainforest has yet to develop a
mature canopy.
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A palm frond, pale in its newness, captures the
diffuse sunlight flowing through the canopy.
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The Strawberry Poison-dart (Dendrobates pumilio)
frog was high on the list of the species that we
hoped to see on our hike. The color patterns in
the Poison-dart frogs are different on the nearby
islands. These tiny frogs have an alkaloid that
is toxic to other organisms. The toxicity of the
Poison-dart frogs vary. The species shown is
mildly toxic and can be handled without adverse
consequences.
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The International Union for the Conservation of
Nature considers Dendrobates pumilio an
endangered species. Habitat loss and collection
for the pet store trade are the greatest
contributors to the species declining
populations.
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We had seen sloths on several occasions previous
to coming upon the one in this photo. We found
this three toed sloth relaxing in a tree about
fifteen feet above the ground. The sloth seemed
curious and watched us as we viewed it from
different angles below. We looked for it on our
return but, while the sloth is deliberate in its
movement, it can move up to 4 meters a minute.
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While it is tempting to focus on the brightly
colored, exotic plants and animals, who can deny
the attractiveness of the functional utility of
the millipede? As they crawl over the thin
layers of leaf litter, these animals participate
in the rapid recycling of nutrients.
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Since I mentioned exotic, what about this
walking palm? These palms literally move
across the forest floor. As explained by Bodley
and Bensen1, the movement is prompted when palm
stem is bent parallel to the ground (as would
occur when something falls on the palm). New
roots emerge from the bent palm stem. The old
roots die and the palm moves out from under the
debris. 1. Bodley, J.H. Benson,
F.C.Title Stilt-root walking by an iriarteoid
palm Socratea exorrhiza in the Peruvian Amazon.
Biotropica. Mar 1980. v. 12 (1) p 67-71
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Our guide patiently interpreted the symphony of
cries, croaks, chirps and the endless variety of
calls that we heard during our frequent stops.
He tuned our ears to the back and forth call of
frogs searching for mates described the behavior
of the bird yodeling from tree top to tree top
and translated the low, hollow thumping coming
from a distance. By now, we were mesmerized in
the environment. The colors, textures, and
smells conspired to exhaust the senses and it
was wonderful.
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Then, there was devastation! The unnatural
brightness lit a scene of senseless destruction.
The exuberant order of the forest was lost to the
chaos of random cutting.
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We picked our way through the debris attempting
to make sense out of the deliberate destruction.
At one point Tom said, We are walking through a
cemetery! The two acre clearing was
practically impassible. Epiphytes, ferns, and
orchids were dislodged from the trees they had
grown upon. They now laid drying in the sun.
Felling trees inside the National Park is
unlawful and uncommon according to Tom. Who?
Why?... were unanswerable questions.
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The thrill of experiencing a rainforest ecosystem
faded. It was haunting to walk through a
recently destroyed area of tropical rainforest.
This area, small as it was, symbolized the
relentless destruction of forests everywhere. We
all felt smaller and I guess impotent to
intervene in the ongoing destruction of Earths
ecosystems.
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We took pictures, speculated about the rationale
for the clearing, collected a few plants and
prepared to leave the rainforest. Later, we
filed a report with the government environmental
organization. They seemed interested but not
particularly alarmed. It was rumored that the
clearing was done by a local person who wanted to
use the area for farming. The loss of habitat is
the number one cause of biodiversity decline.
Strawberry poison-dart frogs survive only on the
moist, shady forest floor. To reduce the rate of
species loss, habits must be protected from
disruption by humans.
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One and one-half acres of rainforest are lost
every second with tragic consequences for both
developing and industrial countries. Visit the
links to organizations involved in rainforest
conservation and see what you can do to slow the
rate of deforestation.