132 Panama Birds Mammals

Panama: Birds & Mammals
With Naturalist Journeys & Caligo Ventures

Feb. 23 – Mar. 3, 2018
866.900.1146
800.426.7781
520.558.1146
[email protected]
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Naturalist Journeys, LLC
Naturalist Journeys, LLC / Caligo Ventures PO Box 16545 Portal, AZ 85632 PH: 520.558.1146 / 800.426.7781
Fax 650.471.7667 www.naturalistjourneys.com / www.caligo.com [email protected] / [email protected]
Neotropical mammals are fascinating and this NEW Panama wildlife tour offers both great birding
and the chance to seek out and observe Two-toed and Three-toed Sloths, Manatee, neotropical
monkeys like Geoffrey’s Tamarin and Howler Monkey, Armadillo, and more.
There are parts of the world, like Africa, where we are dazzled by the abundance of large
mammals — elephants, giraffes, and lions are out in the open and easy to see. Mammal watching
in Central and South America, however, can be a little more challenging. Many mammals here are
found in lush forests and are small to medium-sized; many are predominantly nocturnal.
This Panama tour is tailored to finding the unique and interesting mammals of the neotropics, as
well as the birds they share company with. It’s very easy to combine the two interests, and the
pace is set to observe, not just tick off species and run. We strive to find diurnal mammals like
monkeys, agoutis, coatis, and tamanduas during the day; at night, we venture out with our
spotlight to search for nocturnal mammals, like Kinkajou and various opossums and bats. A good
list of night birds are a bonus of our efforts.
The forests of Central Panama are full of mammals, and although it may take a little searching,
finding neotropical mammals is memorable and rewarding! While looking for mammals, we also
take advantage of the forests around us to find birds, frogs, reptiles, and insects — there won’t be
a dull moment!
Tour Highlights
• Enjoy six nights at the Canopy Tower, a converted
radar tower, completely surrounded by wildlife
• Walk Semaphore Hill Road in Soberanía National Park
looking for sloths, tamanduas, and coatis, as well as
trogons, motmots, and antbirds
• Take the Birdmobile to Pipeline Road, looking for wild
cats like Jaguarundi, and great birds
• Embark on night drives looking for Common
Opossum, sloths, Peccary, and birds like Spectacled
Owl
• Visit San Lorenzo National Park and the San Lorenzo
fortress, a World Heritage Site
• Explore by boat, looking for Lesser Capybara and
West Indian Manatee on Gatun Lake
• Spend an afternoon at the Panama Canal, learning its
history and watching the massive cargo ships go
through the locks
• Enjoy two nights at the Canopy Lodge, with cool
mountain air and fabulous birds on feeders and
trails.
Tour Summary
9-Day / 8-Night Panama Nature Tour with Alex Sanchez
$3732, from Panama City
Airport is Tocumen International (PTY)
Itinerary
Fri., Feb. 23 Arrival in Panama City /

Orientation / First Night Viewing
Arrive today in Panama City. Please arrive by early afternoon
so you can settle in this evening and enjoy a first walk and
some night mammal viewing. You are picked up at Tocumen
International Airport and transfer by van to Canopy Tower, a
drive of about 45 minutes to an hour. After settling in, meet
your local guide on the observation deck where we likely spot
our first mammal, a Brown-throated three-toed Sloth,
munching on Cecropia leaves. During dinner, keep an eye on
the Cecropia trees, as they attract nocturnal Kinkajou, Olingo, and Panamanian Night Monkey;
Black-and-white Owl are often around the Canopy Tower after dark too!
Accommodations at the Canopy Tower (B,L,D)
Sat., Feb. 24 Observation Deck / Semaphore Hill Road / Ammo

Ponds & Gamboa Marina
We start our day at sunrise on the observation deck at the Canopy Tower. Scan the treetops,
where we often see Geoffroy’s Tamarin, Mantled Howler, Two- and Three-toed Sloths, Red-tailed
Squirrel, and a variety of colorful birds that come to feed on the Cecropia trees. Keel-billed
Toucan, a colorful variety of tanagers, majestic raptors, and even Blue Cotinga can be seen from
the observation deck. Breakfast follows.
After breakfast, we walk down Semaphore Hill Road through the lush lowland rainforest of
Soberanía National Park to continue our search for mammals and other creatures. On this road
there is a chance to find Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth and Hoffmann’s Two-toed Sloth, as well
as a Northern Tamandua and White-nosed Coati. This paved road is a little more than a mile long,
and passes through some of the most beautiful forest around! Here we also have the chance to
see many birds and interesting plants, wildflowers, and butterflies. Two more rare species, Silky
Anteater and the secretive Tayra, have been spotted occasionally along this road. We also have a
great chance for understory birds including Slaty-tailed and Gartered Trogons, Rufous and Broad-
billed Motmots, and several species of antbirds. At the end of this walk, we are picked up by one
of our open-air vehicles and driven up to lunch.
After lunch and a siesta, we drive north to Ammo
Dump Pond, located in the small town of Gamboa.
This is a great place to look for the world’s second
largest rodent, the Lesser Capybara, which can be
found in or near the Chagres River. Also, in
Gamboa's forested neighborhoods, we hunt for
Red Squirrel and Central American Agouti, a large
diurnal rainforest rodent. Depending on time, we
make a quick stop at the marina on the Chagres
River, the main source of water for the Panama
Canal. With a bit of luck, we can find a Neotropical
River Otter and Variegated Squirrel. Water birds
including Wattled Jacana and Striated Heron, and
the beautiful Snail Kite can be seen hunting here.
After dinner we board the Canopy Tower’s open

back Rainfomobile for a night drive down
Semaphore Hill Road. Many neotropical mammals
are nocturnal, and night drives are the best way to
find them! We hope this evening to find
Panamanian Night Monkey, Paca, Central
American Woolly Opossum, and if lucky, a
Rothschild’s Porcupine!
Sun., Feb. 25
Pipeline Road / Summit Gardens /
Old Gamboa Road
This morning after an early breakfast, we board
the Canopy Tower’s Birdmobile for a 25-minute
ride to spend the morning at the world famous
Pipeline Road. Hundreds of species of birds,
mammals, and countless insects and plants have
been recorded here. This 10.5-mile gravel road
with eleven creeks has much to be explored, and is
a great place for mammals, including White-faced
Capuchin, Mantled Howler, Central American
Agouti, White-nosed Coati, Tayra, and Collared
Peccary. We keep an eye on the openings of tree
cavities for Rufous Tree Rat. There have also been
sightings of three species of cats, namely
Jaguarundi, Ocelot and even, rarely, Jaguar. Over 500 species of birds have been recorded here, so
there are good chances we enjoy quality sightings of Crimson-crested Woodpecker, White-tailed
Trogon, Spotted Antbird, and if lucky, Tiny Hawk! We return to the Tower for lunch.
After lunch, we head up to the Summit Botanical Garden, just 10 minutes from the Tower. Our
main goal here is to find a roosting colony of Common Tent-making Bats under the large palm
leaves at the entrance to the park. Other mammals are always a possibility. Great Black Hawk,
Crane Hawk, Giant Cowbird, Yellow-backed Oriole, and Masked Tityra also may be seen!
After a short visit to the gardens, we cross the road to explore the area of Old Gamboa Road and
the adjacent Summit Ponds. This site boasts the nearest access to Pacific Dry Forest from the
Canopy Tower. The ponds are a great place to look for some secretive herons, namely Boat-billed
and Capped Herons, and the diminutive American Pygmy Kingfisher, along with Spectacled Caiman
and Common Basilisk or “Jesus Christ Lizard.”
Carrying on south down Old Gamboa Road, we hope to encounter Tayra, Red-tailed Squirrel, more
Two-toed and Three-toed Sloths, Jaguarundi, White-nosed Coati, and other mammals we have yet
to encounter.
Back at the Canopy Tower in the evening, we review our checklist and enjoy happy hour prior to
dinner. During dinner, Little Mastiff Bat may be seen flying around the dining room as they head
out for their evening hunt, and we watch for the largest bat in the Americas, the False Vampire
Bat, hunting around the Cecropia trees just out the windows.
This evening after dinner, we head out on another night drive, targeting nocturnal mammals.
Common Opossum, Northern Tamandua, Hoffmann’s Two-toed Sloth and Collared Peccary are
some hopefuls on our night drives, as are night birds like Spectacled Owl!
Mon., Feb. 26 San Lorenzo National Park

Today after an early breakfast, we drive an hour and a half to the Caribbean side of Panama, over
a newly constructed four-lane highway. The purpose of today’s fieldtrip is to look for mammals at
San Lorenzo Forest Preserve and to enjoy a picnic-style lunch. This area was the site of the U.S.
Army Jungle Training School, and is also known as Fort Sherman. San Lorenzo National Park is
known for its abundance of Mantled Howler, White-faced Capuchin, and sloths. Some other
elusive animals, such as Jaguarundi and Western Night Monkey are often seen here. Occasionally,
visitors are surprised by a herd of Collared Peccary crossing the road and White-tailed Deer may
jump out of the woods and cross the road. There is also the added benefit of visiting the old
Spanish fortress of San Lorenzo, a World Heritage Site, built on a promontory at the entrance of
the Chagres River. This fort was the last bastion of the Spanish Empire on mainland America and
was abandoned by the Spanish in 1821. In the dark rooms of the fort, we may find Greater White-
lined Bat and perhaps some other species inside, too. Additionally, to get to this area we have to
cross the Panama Canal, which gives us a unique view of the Gatun locks and new Agua Clara locks
from below. We return to the Tower via the Panama Canal Railway, a scenic ride from Colon to
Panama City. As the sun sets over Gatun Lake, we hope to see herons and Snail Kite from the
historic railway car (return on train optional). We return to Canopy Tower in time for dinner.
Tues., Feb. 27
Jungle Boat Tour / Panama
Rainforest Discovery Center
This morning after breakfast we board a
motorboat for a spectacular tour on the Panama
Canal. Most of the Panama Canal is actually an
artificial lake, Gatun Lake, and this boat trip
departs from Gamboa, just 15 minutes from the
Canopy Tower. We start in the Chagres River,
enjoying the abundance of water birds, and
keep an eye out for Lesser Capybara. Then we
pass under the historic one-way Gamboa bridge
into the Panama Canal! Along the way we pass
huge cargo ships and ocean liners and also visit
hidden coves and beautiful inlets of Gatun Lake
with fascinating fauna and flora. From the boat,
we explore the small islands throughout the lake
to look for primates, including Mantled Howler,
White-faced Capuchin, and the tiny Geoffroy’s
Tamarin. There is also a chance to see some
interesting reptiles, including American
Crocodile (some reach 14+ feet in length) and its
smaller relative, the Spectacled Caiman, Basilisk
Lizard (Jesus Lizard), and Black River Turtle. A
little scarcer, but not impossible, is the
Neotropical River Otter and, if we are really
lucky, a West Indian Manatee. This species was
introduced to the Panama Canal in the 1960s to
control the growth of water weeds, and they
have adjusted very well to this habitat. We also
hope to see the tiny Proboscis Bat; they roost
along these quiet banks. We are sure to have a
fantastic morning!
This afternoon after a little rest, we travel to the

Discovery Center. The Panama Rainforest
Discovery Center is an ecotourism and
environmental education facility created and
administrated by Fundación Avifauna Eugene
Eisenmann on Pipeline Road. It is located in the
tropical forests surrounding the Panama Canal, adjacent to Soberanía National Park.
Seventy percent of the materials used in the construction of this facility were recycled from old
Canal Zone houses. We climb their tower up to the top of the canopy, overlooking vast Soberanía
National Park. From this vantage, we scan the tree tops for mammals and hawks! Purple-throated
Fruitcrow, Yellow-throated Toucan, and White-necked Puffbird are commonly seen from the top
of the tower. The platform and its hummingbird feeders offer us an opportunity to see several
species prior to dusk. Two-toed and Three-toed Sloths, White-nosed Coati, and Northern
Tamandua may be found here!
Tonight after dinner we head out on our last night drive to continue our search for nocturnal
mammals, with hopes to find Ocelot, Collared Peccary, Paca, Western Night Monkey, Silky
Anteater, and Lesser Capybara.
Wed., Feb. 28 Metro Park / Punta Culebra / Miraflores Locks

After breakfast, we head to Metropolitan Natural Park, located right next to Panama City, and only
30 minutes from the Canopy Tower. The forests of the Metro Park are much drier than those
around the Tower. This park is also a great place for bird migration (September through October).
There is a wonderful over-look at the summit of a hill, which gives us an incredible perspective of
Panama City, the scenic bay, and some of the closer islands. One of the most common residents
are Geoffroy’s Tamarin and Variegated and Red-tailed Squirrels. Northern Tamandua, White-
nosed Coati, and Panamanian Night Monkey are also a possibility for us this morning. Rosy Thrush-
Tanager, Black-throated Trogon, Green Shrike-Vireo and the endemic Yellow-green Tyrannulet can
also be found here!
Later this morning we head into Panama City to the Amador Causeway to visit Punta Culebra
Nature Center, a public nature facility run by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
Hoffmann’s Two-toed Sloth are abundant here, and our main target for this site is the Crab-eating
Raccoon, a shy mammal that lives in the Pacific Dry Forest and mangroves.
After lunch at Canopy Tower, we visit one of the must
see attractions on any trip to Panama: The world
famous Panama Canal! The newly expanded Panama
Canal is one of the wonders of the modern world and
an engineering marvel. There are four exhibition halls
at this ultra-modern museum, which includes historic
artifacts used in the construction of the Canal,
interactive modules, video presentations, models of
the Panama Canal, and objects used in Canal
operations. Models of the biota collected during the
construction are also on display. Most importantly, we
watch the huge cargo ships negotiate the tight-fitting
locks! After this fascinating visit we head back for
happy hour and then dinner at the Canopy Tower.
Thurs., Mar. 1
Plantation Road / Transfer to Canopy
Lodge / Canopy Lodge Gardens &
Canopy Adventure Trails
For our last morning at the Canopy Tower, we can
enjoy the observation deck at dawn followed by
breakfast. After checking out, we take a short drive
down to the bottom of Semaphore Hill to Plantation
Road, one of Soberanía National Park’s trails. It is a
good, easy graded dirt road, passing through a mature
forest for about four miles. The road follows a small
creek, the Chico Masambi River. This trail, once a black
topped road, has some incredible forest, including
gigantic Wild Cashew, Ficus, and Cuipo Trees that
reach heights of more than 100 feet. During this walk
there is the chance to find more Mantled Howler,
Geoffroy's Tamarin, and White-faced Capuchin. There
is also the probability of encountering a Northern
Tamandua (Anteater) and occasionally, a Spider
Monkey is seen!
After a short walk, we return to the Tower mid-

morning, load up our luggage, and transfer to the
Canopy Lodge in El Valle de Anton in the foothills of
Central Panama, about two hours west of the Canopy Tower.
El Valle is located in the caldera of a gigantic volcano that erupted 3.5-million years ago. It is the
largest inhabited caldera in the western hemisphere. The volcano has been dormant for many,
many years, but there are mud baths and thermal pools in certain areas of the caldera. Both the
Canopy Lodge and the town where it is located are just delightful. When we arrive at the Lodge, it
is usually hard to get to your room since visitors are hypnotized by the several colorful tanagers
visiting the feeders — not to mention the very pleasant temperature. The altitude here is about
2300 feet above sea level. Upon arrival, we can enjoy the flurry of activity at the lodge’s feeders —
Collared Aracari, Thick-billed Euphonia, and Dusky-faced and Flame-rumped Tanagers feast on the
bananas provided.
After having lunch and enjoying the bird feeders, we take a walk on some of the trails near the
Lodge, and this includes a visit to Chorro El Macho at the Canopy Adventure, a 120-foot high
waterfall. We come back to the Canopy Lodge in time for happy hour and dinner.
The Canopy Lodge is a great place to catch up on some of the mammals we may have missed at
the Tower and to get some other foothill specialties. After dinner we take a leisurely night walk
around the lodge grounds. Some of the nocturnal mammals often seen in this area are Gray Four-
eyed, Common, and Water Opossums, Rothschild’s Porcupine, Western Night Monkey, Ocelot,
and Orange Nectar Bats — they come to the hummingbird feeders at night!
Accommodations at the Canopy Lodge (B,L,D)
Fri., Mar. 2 La Mesa / Finca
Candelario / Cara Iguana
After being awakened by the morning chorus of birds
and having breakfast, we go out again in search of any
other animal that is still missing on our list. This time we
visit two places, the first one is La Mesa, the flatlands up
along the rim of the crater, within the protected area of
Cerro Gaital Natural Monument. We also visit Finca
Candelario, a private and well-maintained property with
tranquil trails and a pleasing open area to explore. Both
these areas are great places to look for Western Pygmy
Squirrel, Greater Grison, Rufous Tree Rat, Rothschild’s
Porcupine, Tayra, and Jaguarundi.
After lunch and a siesta, we head to Cara Iguana, a quiet

road on the outskirts of El Valle. This area boasts quality
dry forest at the roadsides. Here we hope to see any
mammals we have not yet encountered — perhaps
White-tailed Deer or Jaguarundi, along with the
likelihood of Two-toed and Three-toed Sloths and
Central American Agouti. We also check for roosting
Spectacled Owl on a private property. Lance-tailed
Manakin, Tody Motmot, and White-winged Becard are
possibilities here! Our last afternoon of the tour is sure
to be an enjoyable one. Back at the Canopy Lodge we
will review our final checklist and reminisce about our
favorite moments of the tour.
Accommodations at the Canopy Lodge (B,L,D)
Sat., Mar. 3 Departures

After breakfast we depart for Panama City to catch our
return flights home, with memories of the many species
of mammals, birds, insects, and other wonders of the
Neotropics seen and photographed here in Panama.
Cost of the Journey
Plan Ahead!
Protect yourself with Allianz Travel Insurance. Their website will show a grid of tour cost and your
age category for you to make selections. As of January 2017, Naturalist Journeys pays 100% of
your flight carbon offset.
The cost of this journey is $3732, per person, from Panama City. This cost is based on double
occupancy and includes all accommodations; meals as specified in the itinerary, group airport
transfers, professional guide services, local park and other area entrance fees, and miscellaneous
program expenses. Please ask for single pricing.
The cost does not include transportation to or from your home to Panama, or items of a personal
nature such as laundry, telephone charges, porterage, maid gratuities, or beverages from the bar.
Travel Information
Please plan to arrive on February 23 by early afternoon — please check with us before confirming
flights. Plan to depart after NOON on March 3. It is a three-hour plus drive down from the Lodge,
so if you MUST leave earlier it is possible, but not enjoyable, and we’d need to charge you for an
independent transfer.
If you are arriving early or staying longer to see other parts of Panama or to transit the Canal (a
tour available each Saturday), we can help with your hotel and transit arrangements and other
activities like a guided city tour if you wish.
Naturalist Journeys, LLC is an equal opportunity service provider and committed to the goal of
ensuring equal opportunity for all in employment and program delivery.
About Guide Alex Sanchez

Alex is one of the guides from the Canopy
Family. Born in El Valle where the Canopy
Lodge is located, he grew up surrounded by
cloud forest and a wondrous variety of birds.
As a child, his lack of binoculars led him to
trapping birds, especially honeycreepers, for
an up-close view before their safe release.
He began working at the Canopy Adventure, a

zipline in lush forest next to the Canopy
Lodge, in 1997. Here he quickly stepped up to guide nature walks on the property. Later, he
transferred to the Canopy Tower staff and made quick friends with Carlos and José. A quick study,
it wasn’t long before Alex was leading bird groups as a professional guide. In 2006 he was invited
by the Birders Exchange Program and Massachusetts Audubon to spend a month as in intern,
learning American birds, migration, bird behavior, and banding techniques. Today, Alex is an
accomplished guide always eager to share his Panama birds, mammals, frogs, and natural history
knowledge with everyone. His keen interest in mammals inspired us to offer this special tour with
a focus on mammals and birds.
Photo Credits
Black Howler Monkey, Naturalist Journeys Stock (NJS); Black-throated Trogon, NJS; Canopy Tower,
Janice Petko; Three-toed Sloth, PA (Peg Abbott); Capybara Family, PA; Collared Aracari, NJS;
Geoffrey’s Tamarin, Howard Topoff (HT); Masked Tityra, PA; Broad-billed Motmot, Carla Bregman
(CB); Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Tom Dove (TD); Night Monkeys, CB; Yellow-throated Toucan,
Greg Smith; Tayra, Mukesh Ramdass (MR); Tamandua, HT; Gartered Trogon, PA; Capybara, PA;
White-faced Capuchin, NJS; Coati, NJS; Basilisk Lizard, PA; Capped Heron, PA; Black Howler
Monkey, NJS; Caiman, PA; San Lorenzo Fortress, Alex Vargo; Panama Canal, NJS; Snail Kite, PA;
View from Canopy Tower, Carol Simon; Black-breasted Puffbird, NJS; Three-toed Sloth, NJS;
Feeders at Canopy Lodge, NJS; Canopy Lodge Swing Bridge, PA; Canopy Lodge, NJS; Agouti, NJS;
Collared Aracari, James Adams; Green Thorntail, Willy Alfaro; Chestnut-headed Oropendola, NJS;
Tayra, MR; Spectacled Owl, NJS; Alexis “Alex” Sanchez, courtesy The Canopy Family; Black-bellied
Whistling Ducks, NJS.

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Panama: Birds & Mammals

With Naturalist Journeys & Caligo Ventures

Fri., Feb. 23 Arrival in Panama City /

Sat., Feb. 24 Observation Deck / Semaphore Hill Road / Ammo

After dinner we board the Canopy Tower’s open

Mon., Feb. 26 San Lorenzo National Park

This afternoon after a little rest, we travel to the

Wed., Feb. 28 Metro Park / Punta Culebra / Miraflores Locks

After a short walk, we return to the Tower mid-

Central Panama, about two hours west of the Canopy Tower.

After lunch and a siesta, we head to Cara Iguana, a quiet

Sat., Mar. 3 Departures

Cost of the Journey

About Guide Alex Sanchez

He began working at the Canopy Adventure, a

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