Coiba Marine National Park, Panama
Today, our third day aboard the Sea Voyager, we visited one of the jewels of Panama, Coiba National Park. Coiba N.P. is one of the largest marine parks in the world, acknowledged as a conservation site in 2004 and recognized in 2005 by UNESCO (United Nations, Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) as a world heritage site. This important island is a link to a chain of islands that forms a biological corridor uniting Cocos Island in Costa Rica, Coiba Island in Panama, Malpelo Island in Colombia and, the Galápagos islands in Ecuador.
Coiba Island is part of a busy marine highway used by diverse variety of animals, ranging from some of the smallest of the planet’s unicellular organisms to the largest mammals in the world, whales. The underwater topography of the island supports the regeneration of many aquatic species while the rainforest on land accommodates many unique terrestrial animals, including the endemic Coiba spinetail bird, the Coiba agouti, and a local variety of howler monkey. There are also dozens of amphibians and reptiles on the island, among them the deadly fer-de-lance snake; however, we are much more likely to encounter beautiful birds.
This morning we began the day exploring the underwater treasures of this national park at the small island of Granito de Oro. During our explorations we encountered Morish idols and bicolor parrot fish feeding on the coral. We also saw butterfly fish sucking on the coral polyps and damsel fish guarding their algae patches. By midday we were very hungry and enjoyed a delicious BBQ at the Coiba Island ranger station. After lunch, the afternoon was spent kayaking, swimming, or just strolling around the area searching for the birds. Those that chose to kayak were rewarded for their efforts by sights of rays and sea turtles. Those interested in birds saw many crimson backed tanagers, streaked saltators, and many others, making it a great afternoon for birding.
Tonight, we sail to our next destination, leaving the waters of this fantastic paradise for places equally entrancing.
Today, our third day aboard the Sea Voyager, we visited one of the jewels of Panama, Coiba National Park. Coiba N.P. is one of the largest marine parks in the world, acknowledged as a conservation site in 2004 and recognized in 2005 by UNESCO (United Nations, Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) as a world heritage site. This important island is a link to a chain of islands that forms a biological corridor uniting Cocos Island in Costa Rica, Coiba Island in Panama, Malpelo Island in Colombia and, the Galápagos islands in Ecuador.
Coiba Island is part of a busy marine highway used by diverse variety of animals, ranging from some of the smallest of the planet’s unicellular organisms to the largest mammals in the world, whales. The underwater topography of the island supports the regeneration of many aquatic species while the rainforest on land accommodates many unique terrestrial animals, including the endemic Coiba spinetail bird, the Coiba agouti, and a local variety of howler monkey. There are also dozens of amphibians and reptiles on the island, among them the deadly fer-de-lance snake; however, we are much more likely to encounter beautiful birds.
This morning we began the day exploring the underwater treasures of this national park at the small island of Granito de Oro. During our explorations we encountered Morish idols and bicolor parrot fish feeding on the coral. We also saw butterfly fish sucking on the coral polyps and damsel fish guarding their algae patches. By midday we were very hungry and enjoyed a delicious BBQ at the Coiba Island ranger station. After lunch, the afternoon was spent kayaking, swimming, or just strolling around the area searching for the birds. Those that chose to kayak were rewarded for their efforts by sights of rays and sea turtles. Those interested in birds saw many crimson backed tanagers, streaked saltators, and many others, making it a great afternoon for birding.
Tonight, we sail to our next destination, leaving the waters of this fantastic paradise for places equally entrancing.
