The Emergence of the Eco-LiveWalk

Hiking Volcán Barú, Photo: Alexandra Estévez

We were 100% focused on creating audio walks for traditional historic sites until the Ministry of the Environment approached us with a new request - to create LiveWalks for Panama's National Parks! The combination of human and natural history in the eco-LiveWalks takes the traditional LiveWalk to another level. Our first eco-LiveWalks are for Volcán Barú and Coiba National Parks. The respective LiveWalks are free courtesy of the Ministry of the Environment. We encourage you to download them! We always recommend listening to the audios when you’re on site (it’s just that much cooler!), but perhaps take a peek at home – it may motivate a trip! 
 
Why visit Coiba and Volcán Barú?
 
Coiba is a gem of biodiversity. Scientists have yet to identify all of Coiba’s flora and fauna. Take a look at the Smithsonian’s BioBlitz. In addition, scientists are discovering new species endemic to Coiba National Park. Some scientists consider Coiba a Galápagos in the early stages of development. Coiba has retained much of its biodiversity because of its controversial past. For decades, Coiba was home to Panamá’s most feared prison.
 
Panamá’s key role connecting the world began far before the construction of the Canal. The Isthmus of Panamá emerged from the ocean millions of years ago and formed a land bridge that connected North and South America. In Volcán Barú National Park, you will observe flora from the North intermixed with tropical flora from the South. In addition to this fantastic fusion of North and South, the Park has a fascinating human history. The Doraces, an indigenous group that once inhabited this area, vanished mysteriously, leaving behind gold-rich graves that drew the attention of gold-seeking pioneers and archaeologists.

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Isla Coiba, Photo: Alexandra Estévez