Hiking on the mainland

Bocas del Toro 2010 Environmental Fair

Here is a long video summarizing the 2010 environmental fair put on by the Bocas del Toro Research Station of STRI. This video includes some of the exhibits and presentations during the fair. One of my favorite things about this fair is that it is all about teaching the children. We all know that our children are our future. This fair teaches them to value both the cultural and natural resources that Bocas has to offer. We appreciate that STRI puts this on each year and that each of the different groups participates.

I Spear Lionfish (dot) org

Lionfish are not native to Caribbean waters. Originally found only in Pacific waters of Asia, they have entered, permeated and threaten to destroy marine environments throughout the Caribbean. Aquarium dumping of the popular imported fish is the likely source of their introduction to the Atlantic. It is suspected that possibly only four female specimens, as DNA profiles suggest, were dumped into the Atlantic off the east coast of Florida. Spreading from Florida waters, where the Pacific lionfish was first sighted in 1985, the invasive species has inundated reefs from the Bahamas to Belize, Turks and Caicos and further points south. They have been in Bocas less than a year, but seem intent on completely taking over the reefs. They have the ability to do so. (See ISpearLionfish.org)

To date there have been two Lionfish round ups. In fact in the last round up they caught 572 fish. We must continue to fight them year round. One of the best things we can do in order to decimate their population and save the native fish populations is turn them into a food commodity. This is what Bocas restaurant El Ultimo Refugio has done.


Here is a video shot off the coast of North Carolina. They use an ice brine to detoxify the lionfish. They are also catching them at extreme depths which is a bit different than most people catch them in Bocas del Toro. Eat Lionfish!

Cacao = Chocolate

Transparent Wing Butterfly

Green Acres Chocolate Farm

We have been blessed in having Dave & Linda Cerutti as our friends for some time now. We are sad to report that they have decided to sell the farm. It is time for them. Running the farm and keeping it in the state that they are accustomed has become difficult for them. As such, they are selling the farm in order to move somewhere on the mainland in Panama. We produced this video for them so that people might get a feel for how special a place the farm is. If you know anyone who might be truly interested in purchasing the farm, they can contact Dave Cerutti by email at greenacresfarm @ hotmail.com or by phone from the USA at 011- 507- 6638- 8961. We hope that the farm is transferred onto another special owner as it is an incredible place.

Coral Spawing Video

Here is a video that the Smithsonian put together about Coral Spawning Studies here in Bocas. This study was also referenced in the STRI October Newsletter referenced here. The coral is experiencing some bleaching here in Bocas del Toro over the past month. The local dive shops in conjunction with STRI are pulling together information to determine how many of the reefs here are affected.

Zapatilla Cayes - island paradise

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

We are lucky here in Panama for a variety of different reasons. One reason is that Panama is an amazing laboratory to learn a variety of different things about nature. There are many different groups that study wildlife in Panama and Bocas del Toro in particular. The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) makes it much easier for each of the scientists to conduct research in the tropics.

From STRI's website: The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institution (STRI) in Panama, is a bureau of the Smithsonian Institution based outside of the United States, is dedicated to understanding biological diversity. What began in 1923 as small field station on Barro Colorado Island, in the Panama Canal Zone, has developed into one of the leading research institutions of the world. STRI’s facilities provide a unique opportunity for long-term ecological studies in the tropics, and are used extensively by some 900 visiting scientists from academic and research institutions in the United States and around the world every year. The work of our resident scientists has allowed us to better understand tropical habitats and has trained hundreds of tropical biologists.

STRI's Bocas del Toro Research Station is home to a number of scientists on a regular basis. They are based in this facility whenever they are doing research throughout the archipelago. We have been fortunate to have had two different red frog studies use the grounds at Tranquilo Bay for part of their research. One such study has just published a paper as designated in STRI's news for October. If you are interested in reading the newsletter there is a link to it below.

You can also follow both STRI and the Bocas Research Station on Facebook.

STRI News Oct.1, 2010

Tarpon in the shallows

Not long ago, Jim was at the beach with some guests. They had expressed an interest in fishing so he had a rod with him. The guests had moved on to other things so Jim decided to cast. And to his surprise he caught a big Tarpon in the shallows. What excitement. He yelled over to Ramon who was able to capture the catch on film. Awesome day at the beach - fish on.

Hummingbirds

Ramon was out on one of his daily walks. He watched these hummingbirds for some time and captured some great shots of them. Here are three of the best.

Happy 7th Birthday Tres!