Adventures takes flight:

Before I go on vacation or visit a new destination, I always check for bird watching opportunities.  Venturing out for a glimpse of feathers and watching and studding wild birds is one of the most exciting, yet relaxing, of outdoor hobbies.
Birds are descendants of the two legged carnivorous dinosaurs of the  Jurassic era, and they are now distributed across all land and ocean biomes.  There are more than 10000 species of birds, with plumage running the gamut of colors and songs covering the musical spectrum, not to mention the extremely varied and odd courting behavior of the males.

The dances of the blue-footed boody, the flamingo, and the magnificent frigate  illustrate this point.  These fascinating animals (ranging in size from the two and a half-inch snowcap hummingbird  to the nine-foot-tall ostrich) are revered  in several cultures and even appear on the national coats of arms and flags of some countries.

Despite its small size, Panama boasts 972 species, other people say they are 976, making it a prized destination for bird watchers.  It is not surprising that it has eamed worldwide recognition for record numbers of birds sighted in a twenty-four hour period.  The central region is one of  the most accessible and bird-rich in the country.  Observation points like the Panama Rainforest and the Metropolitan Park are less than half an hour from the capital.

A new Coral species is discovered in Coiba:

Scientists from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the University of Costa Rica have identified a new coral species in 2011: Pacifigorgia  marviva, discovered at Coiba National Park in Panama.  This find increases the recorded number of this life form to a total of 35.  The twenty species in Panama represent more than half the species of this genus identified to date. The description of this new species was published in the “Journal of the marine Biological Association”, of the United Kigdom.   The Coral was named in honor to Erika Knie, whose love and passion for the ocean led her to create and preside over the Marviva Foundation, an international  NGO dedicated to the protection of marine life.  Her singular philanthropic vision and her continued support for the implementation of laws to protect marine resources inspired a change in their management at a regional level.

Coiba National Park:

Located in the Southeastern part of the Republic of Panama, encompasses over 2,700 square kilometers of islands, beaches, forests, mangroves and coral reefs. 

More than 100.000 dollars have been spent in building new tourist lodging, solar panels and marine transportation.  The ecological reserve is equipped to accommodate all of its visitor’s needs.   The protected areas are natural havens, where visitors have the opportunity to relax. It’s also a great place for to those who wish to find themselves.  There are sunny, sandy beaches with mangroves, mudflats, rivers with vegetation, nature trails, forests and mountains of medium altitude.

This area offers several formations like canals, coral structures and reef walls, which offer the swimmer an amazing sight.

Also a group of more than thirty islands, islets, lakes, other marine formations to observe, tour, navigate.  But also below the sea’s surface there is marvelous scenery worthy of visiting through to diving.

The Coiba National Park, has initiated a building construction program that provides tourist access as well as safety, changing the existing electrical system for the installation of solar panels to reduce energy consumption.  Also several cabins to be used as tourist lodging were updated.

Coiba National Park is the largest protected area in the country and maybe the most complete due to its terrain’s diversity and ecosystems which enable the national population and tourists, to be in touch with nature and its biodiversity.