Cerro Pirre, Panama Photograph by WWF/Carlos Brandorios   Central America: Panama and Colombia Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests   1,200 square miles (3,000 square kilometers) -- slightly larger than Rhode Island Relatively Stable/Intact

· Climbing into the Clouds
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Climbing into the Clouds

If you climb up the mountains of Panama, you'll discover wet, green forests that lie under an almost constant cover of moisture-laden clouds. But that doesn't mean that these forests are dreary. On the contrary, they're bursting with life--from insects to amphibians to birds to mammals. What's more, many of these creatures are endemic.

Special Features

High annual rainfall, wind-blown mist, and frequent cloud cover have ensured that these forests are moist and highly productive. They lie on a "land bridge" that formed nearly 3.5 million years ago between North and South America, so they contain a rich mixture of plant and animal species from both continents. Since this ecoregion is located on high peaks formed by volcanoes, these forests have been isolated from other regions for long periods of time, allowing many endemic species to evolve.

	Night monkeys have the biggest eyes of any primate in South America. The lenses of their eyes have evolved in ways that help them see in near darkness!

Wild Side

Found in the highlands of eastern Panama, the montane forests grow at elevations from 2,500 to 10,000 feet (750-3,000 m). The cloud forests are always wet, with thick layers of moss and epiphytes (orchids, ferns, and bromeliads) covering every surface. You can find huge oak trees at higher elevations, while the highest peaks support elfin forests with very short and dense trees. These peaks are the only home to many species of birds such as the Tacaruna tapaculo, Pierre bush tanager, Pierre warbler, and Tacaruna quail-dove. Tromp through the moist forests and you may spy a number of primates, such as Geoffroy's tamarins and night monkeys. Saffron-headed parrots, beautiful tree runners, and golden-headed quetzals perch in the trees. And many reptiles and amphibians creep and hop along the forest floor.

Cause for Concern

Until now, most of the Eastern Panamanian Montane Forests have escaped deforestation because they lie at relatively inaccessible elevations and on steep slopes. But recent threats include the extension of the Pan-American Highway, which has opened up nearby areas for development and timber cutting, an influx of immigrants practicing slash-and-burn agriculture, gold mining, and illegal trade in local wildlife, including parrots and other birds. The loss of lowland forests can also increase wind damage in montane forests. In addition, government instability has made enforcement of conservation laws difficult.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.