CANCELLED due to COVID-19
Discover new species of wildlife in Panama with the Taxon Expeditions
与科学家一起在巴拿马发现新物种
26 April – 5 May 2020, Soberania National Park, Gamboa, Panama
You don’t have to be a biologist! Anyone with a heart for nature, biodiversity, and conservation is welcome to join us in Panama on an adventure for science! 无论您是不是生物学家，只要有颗热爱大自然及生物多样性的心，我们都欢迎您加入我们巴拿马的科学探索行！
Travel to Panama and immerse yourself in wild nature while at the same time learning from our experts and discovering new species. The cherry on the top? You get to name them yourself and publish your findings in top-notch scientific journals! Get ready for an adventure of a lifetime!
这是个在巴拿马的原始热带雨林中独一无二的体验！Taxon Expeditions 让未受过培训的博物爱好者与分类专家们一起发现，并学习各种分类，命名，和报告新物种的技巧。您将会与专家们一起带着虫网和采集罐进入森林和溪流，带着从未发现过的物种出来自己命名，并可以在顶尖的科学期刊中和专家们一起发表报告。
On this Expedition, we will be investigating the hidden world of the creepy crawlies of the rainforest: the “little things that run the world”. Together with the “Digital Naturalism” lab of Andrew Quitmeyer we will devise gadgets to “hack the jungle”. And, above all, we will try to discover new species of insects and their parasitic fungi. Not just any insects and fungi: parasitic fungi growing on parasitic flies that live on bats. So, we will be working on parasites of parasites. Exciting!
What can you expect 特色:
- Doing real research with real scientists （与真正的科学家进行真正的研究）
- Lectures and hands-on field research （讲座和现场实地调研）
- Discover and name your own new species （发现并为自己发现的新物种命名）
- DNA analysis in the field using nanopore technology （使用新纳米技术在现场进行DNA分析）
- Work in a scientific laboratory （在一个科学实验室里工作）
- Jungle trekking, caving, canopy climbing, night walks, bird-watching and more （丛林徒步，洞穴探险，树冠攀登，夜间探索，观鸟等等）
- The most amazing animals and plants in one of the most bio-diverse hot-spots （在生物多样性超热点之一体验最特别的动植物）
- An unforgettable experience! （一次毕生难忘的体验！）
The expedition costs varies from US$3,780 to US$4,340 per person, depending on the type of accommodation (dormitory or double bedroom) 此科学探索行程费用为3,780-4,340美元, 以房类定
Inclusive of（包括）:
- accommodation in a research station in the heart of the jungle （丛林中心住宿）
- domestic travel (from Panama City to the research station) （在巴拿马境内的交通）
- delicious local meals, including welcoming dinner（美味的当地美食，包括欢迎晚宴）
- hands-on field research & lab work, including equipment and research materials（实地调研和实验室工作，包括设备和研究）
- lectures and study materials, including a book （讲座和学习资料，包括一本书）
- publishing results in a scientific journal （在科学期刊中发表报告）
Please keep in mind that international travel is not included. 此费用不包括国际旅费。*Terms and Conditions*
Join us now to discover new species of wildlife in Panama!
Contact us for booking or more information on a customized itineraries pre/post-expedition 请向我们预定，或安排考察前/后定制行程以探索不一样的巴拿马
Discounts available for local students, local participants, and members of the media (who will write/report about the experience) 本地学生/人民，和媒体工作者可享有折扣（可撰写/报告/宣传此考查经历者优先）
Rough schedule as follows: 时间表大概如下:
April 26th (Day 1) : Arrival & Welcome
- To begin our journey, we will have a celebratory welcome dinner in a hotel in Panama City where the whole team will spend the first night. Here we can answer any last-minute questions and begin to share with you the specifics of the adventures that lie ahead. You will have the opportunity to try some local delicacies and local fruits.
April 27th (Day 2): Soberenia National Park
- Morning: the whole team takes a joint taxi-van from the hotel in Panama City to the Soberania Field Station in Gamboa where we will be accommodated
- Upon the arrival, we will be setting up the lab and reveal to you some of our toys for sampling and studying invertebrates
- Afternoon workshops: (i) “Dunk, dry & sieve”, and (ii) setting up pitfall traps — hands-on entomology workshops to teach you various techniques to collect elusive insects in the field
- Lectures: “Taxon Expeditions – engaging the general public in biodiversity discovery” by Dr. Iva Njunjić, and “The Soberania National Park” by a researcher of the SmithsonianTropical Research Institute (STRI).
- Night walk—at night, a completely different array of species is active compared to the day. A night walk gives you insight into these species and if you are lucky you might spot sloths, capybaras, agoutis, and nightjars
April 28th (Day 3): Dragonflies & General Entomology
- Morning workshop (i): “Damsels & Dragons”—we will collect dragonflies using entomological nets
- Afternoon workshop: (i) identifying dragonflies and damselflies in the lab; (ii) general entomology workshop in the lab—you will learn how to identify different groups of insects; (iii) intro to electronics – a workshop where we will make firefly costumes to try to signal fireflies
- Afternoon lecture: “Discovering and describing new species” by Dr. Menno Schilthuizen
- Evening: Bat catching begins! We will be capturing bats to find fungi on bat flies
April 29th (Day 4): Hacking The Wild Part 1
- Morning lecture: “Hacking the wild” by Dr. Andrew Quitmeyer
- Morning & afternoon workshops: developing and building research devices—we will teach you how to build nifty gadgets to be used in the study of animal behaviour, for exploration, and outreach
- Evening activity: night walk
April 30th (Day 5): Barro Colorado Island & Bats
- We will travel to the famous Barro Colorado Island. This 15-square-kilometer island in the Panama Canal is home to one of the oldest tropical research stations in the world. Almost 400 bird species, about 500 species of butterflies and 500 species of trees live here. Lucky visitors will see (and hear) troupes of howler monkeys, colourful toucans, and mischievous agoutis
- Lecture about botany and workshop on permanent BCI plots
- Trekking and exploring the jungle
- Return to the mainland
- Evening: Inspecting nets for trapping bats
May 1st (Day 6): Entomology—discover the hidden world of insects
- Morning workshops: (i) collecting insect traps we have set up a few days ago, (ii) setting up Malaise trap
- Afternoon workshops: (i) sorting and studying collected specimens in the lab, (ii) working on fungi on bat flies and beetles
- Lecture: “The world of labouls” by Dr. Danny Haelewaters
May 2nd (Day 7): Hacking The Wild Part 2
- Morning and afternoon workshops: testing self-built devices in the field
- Lecture: “Deep underground in search of new species” by Dr. Iva Njunjić
May 3rd (Day 8): Describing New Species
- Morning workshop: (i) emptying Malaise trap and sorting specimens in the lab, (ii) working on the description of new species—guided by our specialists you will contribute to scientific publication writing
- Lecture: “Darwin Comes to Town” by Dr. Menno Schilthuizen
- Evening activity: night walk
May 4th (Day 9): Cast Your Votes!
- Morning workshops: (i) birdwatching, (ii) setting up butterfly traps, (iii) lab work
- Afternoon workshop: working on new species descriptions
- Lecture: “Darwin’s Peep Show” by Menno Schilthuizen
- This evening, we’ll celebrate a successful expedition with a farewell party—during which we’ll vote for new species names! This is our unique chance to immortalise our team’s discoveries in the annals of science. We’ll also look back on our week together with a group slideshow and videos
May 5th (Day 10) : Jungle Departure
- Packing up the lab
- Traveling back to Panama City; arrival in the early afternoon
Post-Expedition follow up: publishing newly discovered species in scientific journals; update on the DNA results. Sharing photographs & video material.
Excited? Come along on the journey! BOOK NOW
(Original program and photos by Taxon Expeditions, unless otherwise stated; Chinese translation and adaptation by Khoo M.S.)