Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
dance performances and craft displays; opposite this, a tiny shop sells beer and a few tinned
essentials.
An infectious tranquillity pervades the settlement - aside from the two hours in the evening
when the generator is on - and for most of the night it is illuminated by starlight and kerosene
lamps. Unlike in some communities, many of the 160 villagers choose to go about their busi-
ness clad in traditional attire, except when heading into town. The surrounding forest abounds
in
wildlife
, worth exploring with a guide following a trail leading to a waterfall or a lake,
or embarking on a substantial hike, or a shorter horseride, to a
harpy eagle nest
, where a
willingness to stake the place out for several hours can often be rewarded by a truly special
sighting. Otherwise, the days can happily slip by interacting with villagers, getting your body
painted in jagua dye and cooling off in the river.
SAVING THE HARPY EAGLE
Instantly recognizable for its splendid slate-grey back, brilliant white chest and distinctive
crest, the
harpy eagle
(
águila harpía
) is the largest eagle in the Neotropics and one of the
most powerful worldwide, with talons the size of a grizzly bear's claws. The larger female
can weigh up to 9kg and measure over 1m long, yet despite a vast wingspan of over 2m, it
can reach speeds of up to 80kph while accelerating through trees to stab its prey.
Formerly widespread across the lowland primary forests of the Darién and Bocas del
Toro, the harpy eagle has suffered years of decline due to loss of habitat and hunting.
However, recent concerted
conservation efforts
are beginning to pay dividends. An in-
creasingly successful breed-and-release programme run by the Peregrine Fund (
pereg-
rinefund.org
) has caused numbers to swell to over two hundred pairs, resulting in Panama
now having the greatest concentration of harpy eagles in Mesoamerica. It will be a long re-
covery process, though, as harpy eagles are lethargic breeders, laying two eggs once every
three years; worse still, once the first egg has hatched, the second is discarded as the pair
focus on nurturing the single chick in the nest for another six months, and taking care of it
for a further two years.
Working with local communities and conducting educational campaigns in schools, the
conservation project has succeeded in heightening public awareness and interest in the
harpy eagle. Fittingly, it was legally recognized as the
national bird
in 2002, and since
2006 must by law top the national coat of arms. Additionally, the raptor now even enjoys
its own
national day
, on April 10. All this publicity, it is hoped, will help ensure the harpy
eagle's continued survival.
For more on the efforts to save the harpy eagle, see Fondo Peregrino-Panamá (
rinefund.org
) and Patronato Amigos del Águila Harpía (
