During the construction of the Panama Canal, and the work on the dam on the Chagres River, the waters that entered the great valleys to create Gatun Lake, forever changed the nature and fauna found in that region. It climbed so high until reached the highest terrain in the valley, a 171 meters high hill that ended up surrounded by water. At that moment, Barro Colorado was borned, an artificial island in the middle of the Panama Canal that entered the radar of the international scientific community.
The Dream of Establishing a Research Laboratory
Barro Colorado as a natural reserve is closely linked to James Zetek, an American entomologist, who arrived at the isthmus in 1911 to work as a sanitary inspector in the construction of the Panama Canal. Zetek fell in love with the biological diversity of Panama and also married with a Panamanian woman with whom he established a family. When Dr. Thomas Barbour of the U.S. National Research Council came to the isthmus in 1922 looking for a site to establish a zoological research laboratory, he met Zetek, who had dreamed of a similar plan for years. The two decided that the largest island in the lake, teeming with birds, insects and animals, was the most favorable site for the development of a nature reserve. On March 17, 1923, Channel Zone Governor Jay J. Morrow proclaimed Barro Colorado a Natural Park and banned all types of hunting on the island.
The Mecca of the Most Prestigious Scientists
In a few decades, Barro Colorado became the mecca of the most prestigious scientists of that time and its fame surpassed borders. Illustrious names such as David Fairchild, world-famous botanist; Frank Chapman, who studied the island’s birds for many years and whose book “My tropical air castle: nature studies in Panama” is one of the classics of Barro Colorado literature; and Dr. Alexander Wetmore, an internationally renowned ornithologist, were residents of the island.
A Center for Smithsonian Scientists and Visitors
Barro Colorado, after a century of being founded, is still in force. More than 300 scientists from the Smithsonian and other scientific organizations work at the station each year, and the island welcomes about 5,000 visitors annually, mostly tourists and students.
Pumas, ocelots, monkeys and 120 types of bats are residents of the island and, with luck, the visitor can come across some of them while walking the 40 kilometers of trails that wind through the reserve.
Tours to Visit the Island
People can take a “day tour” traveling from Panama City. After crossing a scenic stretch of Gatun Lake, the tour includes observing native plants and animals and learning about the projects that lead scientists from around the world to study Barro Colorado Island.
