Panama – Sunrise over Rainforest, Reef, & Mangrove

Bocas del Toro, Panama – Rainforest, Coral Reef, and Mangrove Forests

Discover one of Central America’s most diverse ecosystems – rainforest, coral reefs, and mangrove forests.

From the lush embrace of the tropical rainforest to the kaleidoscopic wonder of the coral reefs and the tangled mysteries of the mangrove forests, this land and sea is where diversity reigns.

Here, amidst the emerald canopy of the rainforest, the air hums with the symphony of unseen life, their voices echoing through the verdant depths like whispers of ancient secrets. Each leaf and vine teems with life, a testament to nature’s raw power and beauty.

Venture beneath the waves and a world of wonder unfolds. Coral reefs, vibrant and alive, stretch like underwater cities, teeming with colors and creatures small and large.

Amidst the ebb and flow of the tides, life flourishes in all forms, from the delicate dance of seahorses clinging to coral to the majestic grace of dolphins gliding through azure depths. And then there are the mangroves, where Earth meets water in a symbiotic dance that nurses life at sea.

Around every corner, there is another story, and each breath above and below reminds me of the wondrous fragility of life on Earth.

We must protect it, care for it, and ensure the survival of that which sustains us – nature.

Learn More

Learn about tropical marine science at one of the Caribbean’s leading research stations, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Bocas del Toro Research Station.

The Bocas del Toro Research Station is a research and outreach center in the Bocas Del Toro archipelago. When you visit, you will learn about the diversity of creatures inhabiting Panama’s marine and coastal ecosystems.

Bocas Del Toro is a natural laboratory for studying evolution, climate change, and the human impact on Caribbean ecosystems. Marine research focuses on mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs and the impact of human activity on coastal ecosystems and species like bottlenose dolphins. Terrestrial work includes the study of the evolution of species in this diverse ecosystem. The archipelago also possesses a rich pre-Columbian and modern anthropological history.