- Address: Carretera hacia Chicá, Panamá
- Foundation date: 1966.
- Area: 1950 ha
- Maximum height: 850 m
The Altos de Campagna National Park is located on the Pacific coast, 60 km from the capital of Panama . It is known for the fact that one of the oldest tropical mountain forests in Central America is protected on its territory. In addition, it is the oldest of the reserves of Panama - it was opened in 1966.
General information about the park
The area of the park is almost 2,000 hectares. On the territory of Altos de Campagna there is an extinct volcano, which can be called a "landscape-forming object" of the park. It is because of the volcano flora of the park is so diverse and rampant - it is known that igneous rocks are rich in the necessary plants elements.
The park is located in several natural areas and at different altitudes: its lowest point is at an altitude of about 400 m above sea level, and the maximum - 850 m. From the top, on which the observation deck is arranged, a beautiful view of the Pacific coast opens, and in a clear the weather is visible and the island of Taboga . Precipitation here falls quite a lot - about 2500 mm per year, there are practically no seasonal temperature fluctuations, the thermometer column is usually at + 24 ... + 25 ° С.
In the sixties of the last century, the camp of the University of Florida was divided into the park; Since then, studies of the flora and fauna of this area have begun.
Flora and fauna
The territory of the park consists of four natural zones: tropical, wet tropical and mountain forests and jungles. The park's flora is almost 200 species of trees and 342 species of shrubs. In the park there are orchids (there are many species of them), epiphytes, mosses, bromeliads and other rare plants. The fauna of the park is not inferior to flora by its richness. There are about 300 species of birds in the park. Perhaps most of all there are yellow-bellied and red-bellied trogons - bright tropical birds that feed on termites and wasps. Here you can see almost 40 species of mammals: opossums, mice (some species are found only here), raccoon coon cocks. Live in the park and such rarely found in other places varieties of sloths, like two-fingered and three-fingered.
In the forests of Altos de Campagna, there are 86 species of reptiles and 68 species of amphibians, including endemic ones, for example, the golden frog, as well as rare species of salamanders, geckoes, thorny toads Bufo coniferus, poisonous frogs Dendrobates minutus and Dendrobates autatus.
How to get to Altos de Campagna?
From Panama to Altos de Campana, you can get there by car in one and a half to two hours. If you get through Carr. Panamericana, will get a little faster (you'll have to drive a little over 81 km), but there are paid plots on the road. Another route - across the road number 4 - is slightly longer, you will have to drive about 85 km. Routes differ only in the way how to get to Arraikhan; then they coincide: you should go by Carr. Panamericana to Carr. Chicá-Campana, then along Route 808.
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