Panama's Biodiversity Grows and Thrives
By Juan Carlos Martinez
Recently, two new additional frog species have been discovered in Panama by scientists from the Smithsonian Tropical Reserve Institute. One of the frog species discovered was found in the province of Cocle and named Pristimantis Educatoris. The second was baptized Pristimantis Agnus in the provence of Darien. This raises the number of species of frogs between Panama and Costa Rica to 197 of which 15% have been discovered within the last seven years. You might say, the numbers have taken a big leap.
Currently STRI has a project to preserve the frog population in Panama and Maersk Line has just donated two containers which have been dubbed “rescue pods”. These will be the home of the amphibian species most susceptible to the fungus that is infecting most of the frogs in the world.
Panama is truly privileged to host an institution such as the Smithsonian Research Institute. The Institute has aided Panama in conservation efforts, by providing information and qualified staff through a multitude of programs. The first Smithsonian scientist arrived in Panama in 1910 to conduct a biological inventory of the Canal Zone and somehow they never left. In these times of rapid change, including rapid climatic and environmental changes which show up even faster in ecosystems such as the tropics, the research conducted by institutions such as STRI is critical.
Balancing development with conservation efforts is one of the challenges of the Smithsonian Research Institute is facing. Much of Panama's biodiversity is a potential source of income one way or another and it is necessary to train people how to use it responsibly and sustaining the resource. Too often, the income derived from the land use is more important than the ecology and long term goals of a region.
One of these such efforts to balance development with conservation is the recent training conducted by the Panama Maritime University (UMP in Spanish) for fishermen in the Las Perlas islands. Here they are educated on how to observe and handle cetaceans in a responsible intelligent manor. The idea is to increase the possibility of income for these fishermen without causing mayor impact on the environment. The program has the endorsement of the Cethus Foundation in Argentina, the Alliance for Conservation and Development. The program has a duration of three months and will organize several seminars in the Las Perlas area for anyone involved in these activities.
Every effort of these private organizations and government agencies will increase the restoration of these tropical areas. The effect of this preservation will be experienced worldwide as it is one of the most imperative needs to be met. We are at a dangerous tipping point ecologically, so all efforts, including our own personal ones, are significant and essential.
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