Panama...Canopy Lodge

The Canopy Lodge is a high-end eco-lodge situated a few hours west of the Canopy Tower. Our aim here was to film some of the localised amphibians, reptiles and birds that are found in this old volcanic region. The Lodge sits in beautiful gardens and is home to a great selection of birds.

Crimson-backed Tanager, male

Crimson-backed Tanager, female

Fulvous-vented Euphonia

Grey-capped Flycatcher

Green Honeycreeper, male

Rufous-capped Warbler after a quick bath

Rufous-and-white Wren

Summer Tanager

Summer Tanager

Summer Tanager...they were very common

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Dusky-faced Tanager

Dusky-faced Tanager

That night we filmed in the grounds of the lodge with local herpetologist Mario Urriola. We found some great creatures around their pond, which was just ringing out with the sounds of frogs.

A tiny freshwater crab.

Mario, Nigel and a rather nice Central American Tree boa

Snub-nosed or Panamanian Cross-banded Tree Frog
Smilisca sila, female

Red-webbed Tree Frog, Hypsiboas rufitelus

Neither of these species are particularly uncommon but the next day went to meet a very special frog. Now considered extinct in the wild, we get to meet the critically endangered Panamanian Golden Frog (Atelopus zeteki) at a centre set up to study and save them.

These amazing frogs (actually classified as 'true toads') were once common along Panama's rivers and streams but were decimated by Chytrid Fungus and presumed extinct in the wild since 2007.  Like many tropical frogs and toads they are capable of secreting a water soluble neurotoxin as a defense against predators. Edgardo Griffith and his partner have devoted their working life to studying and captive breeding the species in the hope that they can one day release a chytrid resistant gene pool of the frogs back into the wild.

An extremely rare Golden Frog Atelopus zeteki

Panamanian Golden Frog

The next day we headed back to the Canopy Tower.