If you are a nature lover, you are definitely going to enjoy your visit to Panama. The entire country is a natural marvel and is one of those countries that offer close-to-nature and wildlife-watching experiences. Panama’s ecological riches are attributed to the volcanic activity from close to 3 million years ago when Central America and the Isthmus of Panama arose. This led to the formation of a land bridge between Central and South America, which has been used by animals to migrate from north to south, and vice versa, ever since.
With many plant and animal species, Panama is one of the most biodiverse countries. If you’d love to watch pumas, jaguars, sharks, whales, sloths, ocelots, birds, or any other types of animals, you will find them here.
While you can see these animals in a zoo, if you are a nature lover, you will most likely enjoy spotting them in their natural habitats more. Once you are inside the rainforest, you need to have your camera ready since an animal can appear at any time. Make sure to maintain a safe distance to avoid making the animals nervous as well as for own your safety.
You don’t need to leave Panama City to since wildlife since the city itself is surrounded by nature.
So what are the other options for a wildlife adventure in Panama?
Soberania National Park
Soberania National Park is located close to the banks of the Panama Canal, and it is just 25 kilometers from Panama City.
This national park is home to 525 species of bird, 105 species of mammal, 80 species of reptiles, and 55 amphibians. Some of the birds you are likely to see include tanagers, toucans, hawks, woodpeckers, flycatchers, motmots, and trogons. However, birds such as the red-bellied woodpecker, yellow-eared toucanets, crested eagle, sirystes, ground cuckoo, rufous-fantail, and harpy eagle are becoming extinct, so consider yourself lucky if you spot one.
Soberania National Park is not only a bird lover’s paradise, but it also boasts of multiple adventures: the Panama Rainforest Discovery Center, Pipeline Road, Plantation Road, Camino de Cruces, and El Charco Trail , all of which will lead you to different discoveries.
The deeper you hike into the park, the more likely you are to see sloths, coatimundis, monkeys, and other furry Panamanian animals. The morning is the best time to go hiking since the animals are most active around that time. Visitors are advised to show up before 9 a.m. to see more animals.
Metropolitan Natural Park
This is another excellent place to experience nature as well as watch and interact with wild animals. Metropolitan Natural Park is the only wildlife park inside Panama City, and it was founded in 1974. Here you can take a one-and-a-half- to three-hour guided tour, on which you will get to see bird and other wildlife species.
The park has more than 250 birds, 45 species of mammal, a good number of amphibians and reptiles, and 280 different types of trees. Your Metropolitan Natural Park guide will give you a clear understanding of the biodiversity and history of the area.
There is a beautiful view of the city from this park. Make sure you carry your camera so you can record this fantastic experience.
Darién National Park
While there are numerous national parks in Panama, Darién National Park stands out from the rest. This park is a Panamanian World Heritage Site. It is around 325 kilometers from Panama City, with an area of 5,750 square kilometers, making it the largest national park in Panama as well as one of Central America’s most important world heritage sites.
This park is home to around 169 species of mammal, including giant anteaters, jaguars, Central American tapirs (which are at the verge of extinction), and birds such as macaws and parrots. Regional endemic species and several others that are pretty rare or threatened/ listed on the IUCN Red List can be found here as well. They include the black-headed spider monkey, American crocodile, mantled howler, ocelot, spotted paca, Central American agouti, night monkey, jaguar, and the capybara.
The park is among the few remaining protected areas in the world that is inhabited by human beings. Two Native tribes still live in the park today. Due to its location, Darién National Park is difficult to access. However, there are two areas often frequented by visitors: Santa Cruz de Cana, one of Panama’s most beautiful outdoor destinations, and Pirre Station. Both have plenty of wildlife like sloths, several types of monkeys, and many species of birds.
Humpback Whale Migration
Panama is one of the few countries where you can experience the migration of humpback whales. Between July and October, hundreds of whales leave Antarctica and Chile for Panama’s Pacific coast. This happens in the Southern hemisphere during the summer months and after feeding. And through April to December, whales from the Northern Hemisphere move to Panama to breed, after feeding in Oregon, California, and Washington.
Whale migration is not something that you see every day, and it allows you to experience the ocean in an unforgettable way. However, few people recognize Panama as a prominent whale-watching site, so whale-watching visitors get to have a unique and intimate experience.
You can watch whales in Panama from different destinations. The popular ones are the Taboga Islands, Coiba, Pedasi, and Archipiélago de las Perlas. The Gulf of Chiriquí is another fantastic place to watch whales from. This maritime sanctuary is situated in the marine protected area of Coiba Island. For that reason, the whales view it as a secure place to breed and bring up their young ones.
The best time to whale watch is between July and October, particularly during September. Within these months, more than 2,000 humpback whales travel to Panama.
Parque Municipal Summit
The Parque Municipal Summit, also known as Summit Municipal Park, was created in 1923 as an experimental farm summit. The zoo was later established in the 1960s and has gradually grown; it is now home to close to 300 animals. The park has a total area of 250 hectares, and the botanical garden takes up 55 hectares. It is located just 18 kilometers from Panama City along the old Gamboa Road.
Summit Municipal Park is famous for hosting the harpy eagle as well as its palm tree collection. Here you will see many plant species representing both tropical and subtropical countries. You will also spot animals like pumas, foxes, doves, margays, jaguars, alligators, squirrels, agouti, lizards, gulls, coyotes, owls, gray herons, parrots, ocelots, and monkeys.
Butterfly Haven
If you grew up admiring butterflies, you will love this place. Butterfly Haven is a beautifully designed zoo that is home to many species of butterfly. Whether you are traveling alone or with your kids, you are all going to love the magical experience of colorful butterflies flying everywhere.
The park has received two titles for being among the top-rated zoo and aquariums and the top-rated tourist attractions in Panama.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a beautiful country to enjoy nature and watch wildlife, you cannot go wrong with Panama. There are many wildlife parks and forests where you can watch birds, animals, and vegetation and take awesome pictures to remember Panama by.
If you are traveling with small kids who cannot hike for long hours, it would be best to settle for the zoos. However, if you can hike and go for long drives, you will have a fantastic experience interacting with animals in their natural habitat. You won’t be able to predict which animal you’ll see next!
