Parque Metropolitano

Today we went to the Parque Metropolitano for a little stroll and hopefully to see a sloth. We have been hiking several times but had seen no sloth in the wild.

The land the park is currently on was given to the USA in 1903 as part of the Hay-Buneau Varilla Treaty that gave the US 5 miles of land from each side of the interoceanic canal.

Jimmy Carter signed the Panama Canal Treaty which promised to give the canal back to Panama by the year 2000. The canal was actually given back to Panama in 1999.

The park is now home to a diverse population of mammals, birds and reptiles and also serves as a rehabilitation center to orphaned animals.

Michelle drove as Ted was at work.



We arrived around 9:45 and parked the car. While Michelle was getting PJ out of the car a ranger was pointing to something in the tree closest to us. So naturally I wandered over and they wandered away to begin their hike. I looked and looked and looked for a sloth in the mango tree.



and then I saw him!!



I was so excited to see one in the wild even if all the rangers knew exactly where he was always going to be.

We then proceeded to check in and pay the entrance fee. $1 for residents and $4 for non, great price for the ability to hike several trails and see wildlife within the city limits. We were with PJ and we were not sure how far along the trail he was going to make it before they had to turn around and go to the playground for food but we were optimistic.





We saw a hummingbird as soon as we started on the trail.







We moved on the lagoon and spied loads of turtles...





and some spied us too.



A gentlemen who was leaving the park told use there was a sloth in the tree so we went off to look. We looked and looked and looked. A park ranger happened by so we asked him where he was and he brought me back to the lagoon and pointed one out. Mike said that is not the one the man was referring to and he kept looking. Mike found a sloth



who was climbing down the tree...







and then sadly fell off the tree and landed on the ground.



We watched him for a minute and he did not move so Michelle went to get the park ranger as she speaks Spanish.When they arrived back the sloth was moving and the ranger said he would be ok.

So we watched the sloth cross the road.



The ranger decided he was taking too long so he stuck a branch under him and lifted him to a safe zone





where his friend was already snoozing.



Mike a little leery of getting too close to those claws.



So 4 sloths in less than an hour. I could not have been happier!!!

We continued down the path to see what else was out there. Makes you think of all the animals that are watching us that we cannot even see unless they choose to fall out of a tree or make enough noise or motion for us to see them.



As always I love the different textures in the forest





and Mike finds all the things that hide so well.





At the top of the path you could see Panama City.



We descended at meet up with PJ and Michelle and relaxed in the shade of the picnic area. Mike found some monkeys and headed off to photograph them.



but found them quick footed.



 and Michelle went to amuse PJ so I wandered to the banana tree



and was surprised to see the ground cover moving and then spotted an armadillo.

He was kind enough to make a clear showing and walk out across the field.

We walked out of the park and saw a squirrel bird, 

birds eating





and perching



I think we all had fun even if we were a little hot and tired!!

Parque Nacional Soberanía

Thursday we drove to  Parque Nacional Soberania (National Sovereignty Park), Panama to check out what it had to offer.

The pipeline is 17 km each way an boasts 1300 different plant species, 525 bird species, and 105 mammals. The road was built during WWII by US soldiers to transport oil to the Panama Canal encase it was bombed. Entry is $5 for non residents and $3 for residents.



The trail is wide and easily accessible with a jogging stroller.



PJ was having fun in the beginning walking through nature.



But after an hour he was hot, sticky, and tired so we headed home.

Loved the walk and decided to return.

Saturday we drove up to stay at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort set on the bank of the River Chagres, located inside the Parque Nacional Soberania (National Sovereignty Park), Panama. We booked last minute  and when we arrived they had our reservation but had not processed it so we waited in the steamy lobby for an hour and a half while they processed the rooms and cleaned them.

We went for a little stroll and some critters of the rainforest.

This is the common agouti (ah GOO tee) that can be found in Central and South American rainforests. We had seen them in Brazil and Ecuador but not this close. The agouti has 5 toes on its front feet and 3 on its back, it walks on its toes.

No idea what this bird is called.



There was a sloth brought in from a wildlife refuge center at 5 pm and we listened to the beginning of the presentation and left early to go to our room, well a room. Turns out they only had 1 room ready at 5:15 pm at night but they gave Mike keys to our room and said in 20 minutes it would be ready. We gathered our stuff went to Ted and Michelle's room, changed into bathing suits and cooled off in the pool. 6 pm we were hungry and PJ needed to start his nighttime routine so off to our rooms to change. We opened the door to our room and it looked like a tornado had gone through it. Back to the front desk and he gave us a new room.

We had supper in the monkey bar as the buffet was $25 per person. A wee bit steep for what was being served. The meal was not great but filled our tummies.

We turned in early to go for a hike at 5 am on Sunday.

4:30 alarm rang and we were up and out of the hotel by 5. Ted drove to the Camino del Oleducto (oil pipeline road) trail head we had visited on Friday and we took off with our flash lights. We were the only people we saw headed up.





The sun rose around 6 so we had a nice cool "night walk". The howler monkeys began promptly at 6 and the rest of the rain forest awoke.







Two capuchin monkeys chased each other across the pipeline road incessantly.



Fast moving crimson chested woodpecker, could not get him well as he was far away. Check out his eye!



We crossed a few bridges



that did not look too stable.



And saw thorny trees.



We were told you could see the pipeline along the trail but onlt saw it once in our trek.



We were being chaperoned on the trip by a howler monkey.



Slaty backed forest falcon flew in to make an appearance.



Mike focusing on his animal sightings!!



No idea what this bird is either but extremely colorful when he flew.



Parrot, really far away.



We were fortunate enough to pickup a guide, agouti, half way through the ascent.



Black-cheeked Woodpecker



The capuchin monkeys settled in for breakfast.







Color was limited to green and this red flower close to the ground. The tops of trees had some purple and yellow flowers as well.



Dragonfly for me



and a lizard for Mike.



Astrapes fulgerator



Leaf cutters hard at work clearing the debris from howler monkeys.



We did not complete the 34km hike but went about 5 1/2 hours.



We saw 4 blue morpho butterflies that are nearly impossible for me to capture on film. They flew fast and darted around. He is in the photo but blurry and small.



We returned to our origin and spotted a family of ring tailed coati feeding off a palm tree.







Awesome morning hike!!