¡Bienvenidios Panama! - Part IV

It isn't long before we find critters in the jungle. within 5 minutes of walking into the full canopy, we here the calls of Agalychinus calidryas, the red eyed tree frog. With the added reach provided by a snake hook, we were able to pull down overhanging branches where the calling males were perched. We took a moment to grab a few photos of our charismatic find, then placed him back upon his perch to continue serenading the females close by. On the lower vegetation, anoles were sleeping on top of and in between the leaves. Despite our rustling, they remained frozen in place while our flashes filled the forest vicinity with white light.

Eyes were always searching, hoping to catch a glimpse of one of the forests common inhabitants, the eyelash viper (Bothriecis schlegleii) named for the exaggerated scalation above the eyes. These small vipers are polymorphic, ranging in colors that conceal their presence amongst the bark and vegetation to vivid yellow or orange that blend in with the brilliant floral and fruit ensembles of tropical plants . They frequently inhabit the 1-2m height of the vertical vegetation structure waiting to ambush lizards or frogs. Bites from this species are not fatal, but due to their behavior bites to extremities and the face are common. This has been one of the species I have longed to see in the wild and photograph in detail, so I'm very anxious as I walk around peering at every limb while trying to keep up and the shine of lights in my view. Huntsmen spiders were frequent on the vegetation as well, and other large types similar to the orb-weavers found in the U.S. - but MUCH bigger. It wasn't til this time I realized that my friend was terrified of bugs...which made the trip all the more interesting!

As we continued on, we came across an interesting find - mannequin birds sleeping in the low trees. These birds are moderately colored with shades of yellow, white and brown, but make up for it with an outstanding call. They tolerated our flashes, grabbing a couple photos of both the male and female and we moved on to see what else we could find. At the bottom of the hill we came to a small creek with shallow depression pools off to the sides. Above the pools were more red eyed tree frogs hanging on to palm-like fronds. In the creek, there were larger ranid type frogs hopping into the shadows. One of the better finds in the creek was a large adult smokey jungle frog - this bullfrog sized amphibian is colored with contrasting shades of brown and vocalizes with a call that resembles a low hooting that gives an eerie feel to the darkness of the jungle.

We turned back after the creek and was planning on calling it an evening. We were all a bit disappointed that we hadn't come across any snakes, but still satisfied with our numerous finds that night. Just as we got close to the cottage our guide spotted a fruiting tree along the path. The tree was filled with naranjillos - fruit of the Inca, a citrus like fruit that had the exterior texture of a tomato. Mario's smile suggested that this would make for an excellent addition to breakfast. At 2:30AM we called it a night, a looong day of travel behind us, and the anticipation of what awaited us tomorrow....

¡Bienvenidios Panama! - Part III

One major highway snakes its way through the countryside transecting whats left of tropical dry forests. Small two lane divergences in the western portion split off and direct you westward towards Costa Rica or north through the cloud forests and onto the Caribbean coast. We stop in Penonome for a quick meal - Pio Pio is our dining option and a chance for me to dig deep in the memory bank, babble out some broken Spanish and hope to order something appetizing. With a couple of attempts and chuckles from the ladies behind the counter, I pay for my meal and soda. In my periphery I catch lots of stares our way as we enjoy our hard earned meal - two Canadians, an American, and a Panamanian - a ragtag bunch out of place in a corner booth.

From the backseat I'm enjoying the view of the countryside, snapping away some shots as we zip by farmland, mountains, and small towns. All of a sudden I notice a police officer on a motorbike along the road side and he begins to wave us over to the shoulder. I was told by my travel companions that government on the lower levels in the country was often corrupt, and that on many occasions money exchanged hands in lieu of citations. The officer begins rattling off in Spanish and we're having a difficult time keeping up. Mario begins to inform us that the officer is citing us for driving too fast near the pedestrian overpass, driving continuously in the left lane, and for some other minor issue. The more Mario talks with him, the more calm the officer becomes, and then asks to talk with Mario. After a few minutes, he brings his book of rules & regs over to the car and hands it to us, showing us the infractions we've committed. Mario tells us in English "I think this cop likes money." I shove $20 in his regulation book and hand it back to him. He informs Mario that it would be beneficial to ride in the front seat while traveling with us to avoid any other enforcement issues and sends us on our way.

It's late in the afternoon on our drive and we're keeping our eyes out for any significant wildlife, reptiles especially. So far the only highlight was seeing a roadkill silky anteater on the highway. A few minutes later and we notice a snake on the road, unfortunately already clipped by passing traffic. We stop to take a quick look.... it's a parrot snake (Leptophis ahaetulla), similar to the green snakes found in North America These long, slender serpents are primarily arboreal and feed upon tree frogs. They possess small rear fangs and are mildly venomous, more so an irritant to a larger animal, however reactions tend to vary and can cause some significant swelling. Excited for finding an actual reptile we hop back in and continue on towards our destination.

We begin the ascent into the mountains near Fortuna just around dark. This area is characterized by sharp winding roads that are continuously under attack by the elements and significant elevation changes. This is cloud forest habitat, home to such species as solitary eagles, quetzals, mountain vipers and black milksnakes. It begins to rain, periodically heavy at times, making the drive a bit challenging. The temperatures begin to plummet as we climb from 60m above sea level, going from roughly 85 degrees in the late evening to the lower 60s as we reach about 1.1km in elevation. We begin seeing one of the more common inhabitants of the country, cane toads, hopping along the roadsides. About 20 minutes after the rain began, we're slamming on brakes as our driver cries out "snake!" I grab my camera and pile out to find disappointed faces. In my friend's hands is a spectacular species that I was hoping to see, Rhinobothryum bovallii - the banded snake, writhing from being clipped by a car ahead of us. It was a bittersweet moment, seeing such a wonderful animal that is not a common find in the area in its last moments of life. As the rain picks up, we get back into the car, mixed expressions still on our faces and continue on to our destination in Changuinola.



We arrive late into the night, with sounds of a siesta rising up from the town. Baseball is the national sport of Panama, with the NY Yankees being the team of choice. Pitcher Mariano Rivera is a Panamanian native and has spent his entire MLB career with the team. The streets are crowded with people all around the town's center where the baseball stadium is located. Bright lights, kids on bicycles, and stereos blasting on every corner - it was quite a sight after driving through remote regions with spotted homesteads along the way. We make our way on to the place we'll be staying - land belonging to friends of Mario where we'd planned to setup a tent and camp for the next few days. Mario suggests we explore the hillsides behind the cottage, so we grab lights, hooks, and camera gear to explore this coastal jungle habitat....

¡Bienvenidios Panama! - Part II

We called the Resort Decameron our 'center of operations' for our trip. My friend's aunt and uncle owned a vacation property within the resort and were exceptionally generous in offering us a place to stay and feeding us periodically during our 10 day adventure. Located in Farrion, a small coastal town on the central Pacific side of the country, Decameron resort was built near the center of Manuel Norega's operation while he was in power. There were artillery bunkers scattered about the lush landscaping and luxurious homes on the golf course. Just down the road, the main highway of Panama transected the derelict personal runway of Norega.

Our previous night in Gamboa had been a fun adventure - I'll admit it took me a bit to adjust to the sounds of the jungle at night, but quickly I found myself right at home with all the rustlings in the dark, the leaf cutter ant highways, and distant calls of unknown creatures. We trekked for what seemed to be 2 or so miles round trip through the forest, looking for any wildlife that we might encounter - especially snakes. Searching, searching, searching - nothing. We did happen to spy a kinkajou navigating the treetops with the aid of my LED mag lite. On our way out, we did happen across one ground dwelling frog, uniform and dull in color, unappealing to capture in a photograph (after all the travel that day + hiking in the humidity, my greatest priority was finding a place to sleep).

Daylight comes quite early in Panama - by 6:30AM everything is lit with a golden hue from the sun rising up over the Caribbean Sea. My counterpart had been in touch with a local friend and guide, Mario, prior to our arrival. Mario runs a local serpentarium in El Valle, leads various outings in search of birds, reptiles and other critters for tourists. He is a frequent visitor to local schools to talk with children about the snakes of Panama and why they are beneficial creatures. In Panama, many locals believe that if they kill a snake, they will survive their next snakebite encounter. The usual attention snakes receive in local villages is mutilation by the blade.

After finding out Mario's schedule for the week, our plans shift and we decide to sort our gear and head northwest to the province of Bocas del Toro (mainland) and the mountains around Changuinola. Mario explains we have the opportunity to encounter Central American bushmasters (Lachesis stenophrys), coral snakes, pit vipers, and a bounty of amphibian diversity. With a quick stop in El Valle, we set out on the Pan-American Highway on a 14 hour drive....

¡Bienvenidios Panama! - Part I of ???

April 2009. Months of planning, hours on the telephone, hundreds of dollars spent at REI and other stores like it. I've been on an airplane three times in my life at this point, all of those occasions flying with friends to continental US destinations. I'm alone, laid over in the Miami International Airport waiting to climb onto an American Airlines flight bound for thee Tocuemen International Airport just east of Panama City, Panama. Upon my arrival, I'll be joining up with a friend from Canada and spending 10 days crossing central and western portions of the country.

Two and a half hours in the air the wheels come down and the stewardess comes over the PA system welcoming visitors to Panama, first in Spanish then following her greeting in English. I haven't used Spanish on a regular basis since high school so I really begin asking 'what the hell am I about to get myself into?' I depart the plane and fill out the necessary paperwork for entering the country, pay the 'entrance fees' and pick up my baggage. Somehow I got away with stashing about 60 lbs. of photography equipment into the overhead compartments as my 'carry on' bag, leaving all of my field gear to be piled into a travel duffel nearly my size. I find a place to plop down and wait for my Canadian counterparts - I power up my cell phone for the hell of it and get word that my friends are delayed due to snow and missing flights, so I have hours of waiting by myself where I speak a handful of Spanish phrases at best....

Panama's culture is a influential mixture of native tribes (7 of roughly 20+ still exist in the country), descendants of the Caribbean slave trade and Spanish explorers . The majority of the country is relatively remote and eastward into the Darien province (click on map photo for a larger view!), travel conditions are difficult - underdeveloped roads, guerrilla insurgents filtering in from South America trafficking narcotics, and disease issues to name a few. However, in recent years development as a tourist destination has taken lead, and things are becoming more accessible. Laws in the country bring down double the penalty if an act of injustice is taken against a tourist. It is a fabulous escape if you don't like cold weather - temperatures tend to stay around 90 degrees year round with the rainy season running from April until about September.

I sit curled up in an uncomfortable row of chairs in the airport, looking over my Nat Geo guide to Panama for the 37th time hoping my iPod doesn't die before my counterparts arrive. Finally, after about 5 hours of waiting around I see a familiar face dragging luggage through a mix of locals. We proceed to then bounce from rental car stations to try and find the best rate on a 4x4 SUV that will be our means to seeing this wonderful place. At roughly 7:30PM, we grab our keys, pack in all our gear, and set out for the forests of Gamboa in central Panama....

In search of the red rattler....Part III

Our day was filled with running road transects, hoping that something would be slithering out in front of us as we made a pass. We stop late morning after having no such luck to search out a rocky shoreline in the hopes we might encounter a Carolina salt marsh snake (Nerodia sipedon williamengelsi) - a valid subspecies endemic to coastal North Carolina and protected due to that significance. Luckily this section of shoreline was the only site any of us could receive phone service, something that for this trip was nice to be lacking. We were able to follow up with a couple of friends who were driving down for the day to join us in our search. We set out to rendezvous with them, and just as we were meeting up we happened upon a interesting find (to me at least!) - a nice rough green snake. This species is very common throughout its distribution and often feeds upon invertebrates. For me, this was the first live individual I'd ever come across. After taking some time to enjoy that moment, we piled in and headed north to a small private preserve to check out anything that might be out and about during the hottest portion of the day. After walking along the shoreline in the preserve and spending time out on the swampy boardwalks, we decided to head back south rather than battle the mosquitoes any longer - this area was saturated with mosquitoes, enough that any unattended portions of skin was an all you can eat buffet for the thirsty bloodsuckers.

Upon our return to our familiar back country roads, we decided to split up and utilize two vehicles to cover more ground efficiently. It was mid evening, and the sun was starting to get that golden tint, beginning to cast longer shadows with the passing moments. Rounding the curves amongst a managed pine stand the brakes bring us to a screeching halt. In front of us, just as we'd rounded the curve, laid a foot and a half of red pit viper crawling upon the road. I think you could have compared the moment to unwrapping presents on Christmas morning or the first day of spring break. For there in front of us, laid our red rattler....

In search of the red rattler....Part II

We meet for lunch at a local spot that we found in college. Pam's Farmhouse is one of those great places we take advantages of when we get together. For our company, this is an awesome treat - down home country cookin' at its best. After loading up on heavy sides and sweet tea, we set out east bound, 3.5 hours to our coastal destination.
Only in a small area in coastal North Carolina do Carolina pigmy rattlesnakes (Sistrurus miliarius miliarius) exhibit a deep red coloration throughout their body, replacing the standard dark grey background and rusty stripes between blotches. In Georgia they come close, exhibiting a pinkish-red hue, but what I've seen from North Carolina reminds me of the paint used by local fire districts to adorn their emergency vehicles.
After a long evening in the loaded down SUV we roll into the area we've been anxiously awaiting - endless cotton fields, thick pocosins, and blackwater canals paralleling the roadside. The clouds are rolling in for what the weather forecast calls a overcast evening with a 30 chance of rain. We decide to begin immediately traversing the back country roads in hopes of coming across our species of interest and anything else we can find along the way. It seems it isn't no time that the brakes are locking up and we're stopping to inspect something along the roadside. There it lays, dead - an adult red pigmy that met its demise exiting a well maintained front yard and attempting to cross into an overgrown field. All of us call out in disgust, seeing how we may have missed this animal only by an hour or so. GPS coordinates noted, we roll on in search of more, hoping we get to it before the tires of an unaware driver does.
As we get further into our road transects, the weather doesn't look promising. Our plans of setting up camp that evening are starting to dwindle as light rain begins to fall and nigh fall is fast approaching. After some discussion, we decide to travel back north and find vacancy in one of the two local motels in the area. We find space available to accommodate the four of us, dragging loads of snacks and camera equipment out of the SUV and getting settled. Conveniently, there is a seafood and steakhouse beside our hotel, so sampling the local fodder to waste away the evening hours is a must. After bellies full of scallops and flounder, four sleepy herpers call it a night and wait out the rainfall.
The next morning we roll early, hoping to catch a glimpse of a warm sun rising in at least partly cloudy skies. As the alarm goes off and one of us rolls out to check the conditions, we find that the cloud bank is still with us, and the snooze button gets put to good use. When we finally roll out of bed, we wonder outside and find that our overnight abode is actually a herper's delight. A metamorphed squirrel treefrog awaits us beside our door, posing for a few quick photos. A narrowmouth toad has setup shop by the edge of the covered walkway while a southern toad is nestled in behind a brick adjacent to the motel's Coca-Cola machine. We all new then it was going to be a great day.

In search of the red rattler...Part I

It's October. Days are getting shorter, mornings are much cooler, and the leaves are starting to come 'alive' with color. Those legless and scaly wonders that I have such an appreciation for are beginning to slow down and take advantage of the peak warmth cast out by the fall sun.

Eastward we travel, a few days away from our normal lives. No studying. No work. No real world worries. Best friends, old acquaintances, snake hooks and cameras in tow, we set out to find our quarry, and anything else we run into along the way.

What awaits us? Maybe the snakes we so eagerly seek, or a family of black bears taking in the benefits of the last corn in the fields. Maybe the harriers have started their descent from up north to hunt the open fields of Pungo, or the millions of red winged blackbirds finding that familiar winter refuge.

We pile in for the adventure that awaits, hoping that the mosquitoes have gone for the year, that luck is on our side, and we'll return with a sense of renewal - memories that will forever be etched in our minds, and stories to share with those we left behind.