Satellite view of the Gulf of San Miguel, Panama Photograph by USGS   Central America: Pacific coast of Panama Mangroves   900 square miles (2,400 square kilometers) -- about the size of Rhode Island Critical/Endangered

· In the Midst of Mangroves
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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In the Midst of Mangroves

The Gulf of Panama Mangroves include those on the easternmost side of the Pacific coast of the country, from Parita Bay to the San Miguel Gulf. Between May and December, the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)--where winds from the northern and southern hemispheres come together--brings a season of rain. In the dry season, the ITCZ creates an upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich waters from below the surface of the ocean. Crabs, fish, and shrimp of the region depend upon this upwelling of nutrients, as do other species.

Special Features

In the brackish areas along the coast, red mangroves carve a silhouette against the sky, some reaching as far as 130 feet (40 m) into the air. Their masses of exposed, leg-like roots create a haven for shrimp, mollusks, crabs, and various species of fish. Thanks to the mangroves, shrimp are particularly abundant in this ecoregion. Larval shrimp hatch offshore, move into the sheltering mangrove "nursery" for four to five months, and then migrate back out to sea as adults.

	Panama has the highest percentage of coastline compared to land area of any Latin American country, most of which is found on the Pacific side.

Wild Side

As bright yellow mangrove warblers dart among the branches of the mangroves, a small anteater called a northern tamandua uses its long, sticky tongue to probe for insects in the cracks of a rotting log on the forest floor. Nearby, a white-tailed deer nibbles on a few mariquita mangrove leaves--but these salty leaves aren’t very appealing. Offshore a leatherback turtle, the largest living turtle species, swims through the jade-colored waters. This turtle can grow up to 6 feet (2 m) in length and weigh over 1,400 pounds (630 kg)! Nearby, an olive-gray American crocodile emerges at the water’s surface for a breath of air.

Cause for Concern

Some of the mangrove forests in this region have been converted to salt flats, shrimp ponds, crops, and cattle farms. Urbanization encroaches on mangrove ecosystems, particularly around Panama City. Many families in the Gulf of Panama exist solely on mangrove resources, and 70 percent of the population depends on fuelwood for energy. A great amount of oil is transported through the Panama Canal and through pipelines in the region, creating a constant threat of spills.

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