Sir David Attenbrough’s BBC 1 series Life in Cold Blood highlighted the plight of the critically endangered Panamanian Golden Frog (Atelopus zeteki). The frogs, which communicate with each other (and Sir David) by gentle hand waves, are threatened with extinction through the spread of deadly chytrid fungus. Since filming, most frogs have been removed into captivity for their own safety. However, Naturetrek’s 14-day Panamanian tour, staying at the same lodge in El Valle used by Sir David and the BBC crew, still offers potential opportunities to view wild Golden Frogs in nearby forest. Spend 9-days residing in the treetop canopy at the world-famous Canopy Tower (a converted radar tower) in the avian-rich tropical rainforest of Panama’s Soberania National Park, then head off to El Valle for 5-days in search of frogs, birds and other wildlife. The tour coincides with the end of the spring migration and the start of the breeding season when avian activity shifts up a gear. For full tour details visit the Panama - Canopy Tower tour page.
Initially, our tour is based at the unique Canopy Tower in Soberanía National Park - originally a US Air Force radar station but recently converted into a birdwatcher’s paradise. With comfortable bedrooms at treetop level, there could be no better place to wake to the sounds of Panama's rainforest, home to nearly one thousand bird species in 80,000 square kilometres, and a brilliant Blue Cotinga perched outside the window. The Tower’s main viewing deck offers superb 360º views over the canopy and, complete with spotting telescopes, provides the chance to observe exciting and otherwise difficult-to-see canopy birds and mammals, as well as great views of the Panama Canal and Panama City in the distance. Daily, guided excursions into the surrounding rainforest offer a variety of habitats and superb neotropical birdwatching including various Trogons, Motmots, Jacamars, Puffbirds, Woodcreepers, Manakins, Antbirds and Tanagers. Optional trips may also be taken to visit the Panama Canal, nearby Summit Gardens with its resident Harpy Eagle or night excursions into the rainforest to see and hear some of the eight species of Owl or Potoos and catch glimpses of the Two-toed Sloth and Porcupine. Next, we head by road to El Valle de Anton, also known as Crater Valley. We spend five nights at the new El Valle Lodge, located in the crater of an extinct volcano, offering unique views of jagged peaks and a valley filled with flowers, streams and verdant forests. Here, we search for one of the most sought after species in neo-tropical birding, the Rufous-vented Ground Cuckoo, or perhaps, the rare Golden Frog. Explore the trails and 50m high waterfall of Chorro Macho private reserve, then walk the Cariguana trail where bird specialities include Lesser Eleania, Yellow-olive Flycatcher and Rosy Thrush-tanager.
Filming David Attenborough and the Golden Frogs in Panama
(courtesy of Raul Arias de Para, Canopy Lodge)