SOBERANIA NATIONAL PARK

Whit more than 19.341 hectares, Soberania National Park, which was created in 1980, lies in the province of Panama and Colon. It is not only one of the most easily accessible natural areas on the entire American continent, but is also one of the essential support underlying the working and conservation of the Panama Canal.
The park is shaped like a vertical strip along the eastern edge of the Canal. Its entire western boundary borders the Canal in peaceful backwaters formed by Lake Gatùn. The hills and hummocks of undulating, rough terrain are a predominant feature of the local landscape, which reaches maximum height on Cerro Calabaza (85 meters above sea level). With an average annual temperature of 28° C, more precipitation falls on the park's more extensive Caribbean slope. The River Charges, which plays a vital role in the functioning of the Canal, flows across the national park at the town of Gamboa and many of its tributaries rise in the protected area.
The moist forests of Soberania are its main feature, with impressive examples of cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra), 'cuipo' (Cavanillesia platanifolia), oak (Tabebuia rosea) and 'guayacan' (Tabebuia guayacan). Besides innumerable lianas, epiphytes and orchids, this forest also contains royal palms (Scheelea zonensis), 'nance' (Byrsonima crassiflia) and wild plum (Spondias mombin), the fruits of which feed many birds and mammals. Over 1.300 vascular plants have been recorded in these tracts of forest, including some species endemic to Panama such as the 'chirimoya' (Annona spaguei), 'guayabillo' (Eugenia alliacea) and 'reseco' (Tachigali versicolo). With 105 mammal species, 525 bird species, 79 species of reptiles, 55 amphibians and 36 species of freshwater fish, the park is an important wildlife refuge, the birds attract most attention, every year along the best known trail, the Oleoducto Trail, the Audubon Society of Panama carries out a Christmas bird count. For 19 consecutive years the count has yielded world record numbers, culminating in 1996, in the recording in just one day of 525 species.
They include the particularly interesting and threatened crested eagle (Morphnus guianensis), the spectacular red-lored amazon (Amazona autumnalis) and different species of showy trogons such as the violaceous trogon (Trogon violaceus), the mammals include jaguar (Panthera onca), white-tailed deer (Odoicoleus virginianus), agoutis (Dasyprocta puntata), raccoons (Procyon lotor) and herds of collared peccaries (Tayassu tajacu). Various species of monkeys live in the forest treetops, including the diminutive cotton-topped tamarin (Saguinus Oedipus) and the elusive night monkey (Aoutus lemurinus). Reptiles, such as the caimans Caimans crocodylus or the snake Lachesis mutus, amphibians, such as the common toad (Bufo marinus) or the salamander Oedipina parvipes and freshwater fishes like the 'sabalo pipon' (Brycon petrosum) or 'Barbudo' (Rhanida magnesi) are part of the vertebrate fauna in this protected area, invertebrates number in the thousands, and it is easy to spot the unmistakable nests and tracks of the 'arriera' ants (Atta colombica) and pick out the dangerous 'folofa' ant (Paraponera clavata). On the most interesting of the park's trails, the Oleoducto Trail, accessible in just one hour from Panama, it is easy to spot lots of wildlife, especially birds.
The El Charco Trail, situated towards Gamboa, has a nature trail and a refreshing pool of crystal clear water, the famous Cruces Road also crosses the park, where there is a restored section of the old cobbled road. Next to the park is the Summit Botanical Garden, which also has several nature trails. Its modern harpy eagle enclosure containing a breeding pair of captive eagles is worth a visit.