Canopy Tower : Early Visitors

Art Wolfe, famous nature photographer, visits Panama's Canopy Tower

Art Wolfe, one of the best nature photographers in the world visited the Canopy Tower during this month and took some pictures from the top. Here is Art in the center, on his right it's me and on his left is Alfredo Maiquez, a spanish photographer living in Panama and who accompanied Art during his visit to Panama. Art will be back in Panama in April and told me he would definitely come to the Tower again to see what he can capture with his camera. To see Art's work and to see I am telling the truth about his being one of the top nature photographers in the world, please visit his web site.

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Here is Dr. Gerardo Budowsky, Ph D., former President of The Ecotourism Society and now Coordinator of Natural Resources and Quality of Life Program at the University for Peace, San Jose, Costa Rica. Dr. Budowsky is an old and dear friend of mine who was Director General of the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) for two periods (6 years). He was in Panama and I took him to the Canopy Tower early one day. It was great! We saw many species of birds, including the lovely Blue Cotinga (male and female) who posed for us several times. Don Gerardo's main field of expertise is trees and he identified many species around the Tower. He estimated that just in the inmediate vicinity of the Tower there are close to 100 species of trees! He loved the place and promised me to come to the inauguration in the next 2-3 months.

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This is Dr. Nicolas Ardito Barletta, Director General of the Autoridad de la Region Interoceanica (ARI) with his son Raul and his grandson Lucas. Dr. Barletta visited the Canopy Tower recently and was pleased with the progress we have made in transforning the radar tower into a world class wildlife observation center. The ARI is the agency of the Panamanian government in charge of allocating the real estate that the United States is transfering to Panama in compliance with the Carter Torrijos Treaties. To learn more about ARI, visit its web site.

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This is a group of birders from England, the tour leader is Peter Roberts of British Birding Tours. Peter is a "birder" of world caliber and leads groups regularly for VENT and other well known companies specializing in nature travels. He loved the Canopy Tower and assured us he would be back because the "Canopy Tower offers extraordinary birding opportunities". Peter and his group had just come from Darien and were going to Costa Rica accompanied by Mario Olmos, a Costa Rican guide.

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Dr. Marco Lambertini, Director of Network and Programme of BIRD LIFE INTERNATIONAL, visited us on January 19th. accompanied by Oswaldo, of the Panama Audubon Society. Marco was in Panama strengthening the relationship between his organization and the Panama Audubon Society. He is an avid wildlife observer specializing in African fauna. From the Canopy Tower he saw and, of course, heard a troop of howler monkeys (Aluatta Paliata) and several species of birds, Blue Dacnis, Summer Tanager, Green Honeycreeper, several Keel-billed toucans, among others. Needless to say, he loved the place and found the view "breathtaking". On the road we also saw a troop of Geoffreys Tamarins and a couple of Red Squirrels.

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The inaugural ride of the Rainfomobile was by Carmen Martino and a couple from Ventura, California, Carl and Nancy Roshorch. Carmen is an "amateur" bird guide who knows more about birds and plants than many proffesionals and the Roshorchs were visiting relatives in Panama. They all thought the Rainfomobile was the best idea since the invention of binoculars!!!!

Early Visitors to the Canopy Tower

Early Visitors to
the Canopy Tower