Cerro Chucantí

At 1,439 m in elevation, Cerro Chucantí is the tallest peak in the Majé mountains and is located in a key biological transition area on the border of Panama's Darién province. The rare cloud forest at Chucantí's peak is cold and humid and contains a variety of species that cannot tolerate the heat of the lower-elevation forests.

Yet Chucantí is the only mountain in its mountain range tall enough to host this habitat – the nearest cloud forest is more than 100 km away! As a result, Cerro Chucantí hosts many endemic species (that only live in Chucantí), including many new to science.

Many other species of special concern also live in the Majé mountains, such as the Black Spider Monkey (Ateles fusciceps rufiventris) and Great Currasow (Crax rubra), whose populations are declining due to habitat loss and hunting pressures. Cerro Chucantí has also been declared an Important Bird Area by the Panama Audubon Society and a High Priority Area for Endemic Birds of the World (EBA 024: Darién Highlands) by Birdlife International due to the presence of species such as the Beautiful Treerunner (Margarornis bellulus) and Varied Solitaire (Myadestes coloratus).

Unfortunately, Chucantí’s forests are threatened by deforestation for timber and agriculture. To protect this essential habitat, ADOPTA has acquired around 700 hectares of land to create the Cerro Chucantí Private Nature Reserve. Explore this page to learn more about this project and contact us if you are interested in visiting the reserve.

Abel Batista
$11,500 goal

Let's name this new Panamanian frog!

We need your help to describe this new species of frog and protect its habitat in the Cerro Chucantí Private Nature Reserve.

Donate

Explore the Reserve

Massive waterfalls, beautiful vistas, and unique species – there is a lot to experience in the Cerro Chucantí Private Nature Reserve!

Explore the Reserve

Massive waterfalls, beautiful vistas, and unique species – there is a lot to experience in the Cerro Chucantí Private Nature Reserve!

Arjan Dwarshuis

Our Inspiration

ADOPTA was originally created to support the Cerro Chucantí Private Nature Reserve.

When our founder, Guido Berguido, visited Chucantí for the first time, he was stunned by what he saw. The cloud forest at the moutnain's peak hosted many rare species of birds such as the Beautiful Treerunner (Margarornis bellulus), which were previously known in Panama only from the area along the border with Colombia. At the same time, the nearby forest was being rapidly cleared for wood and to create fields for cattle.

Something had to be done to stop the madness!

With the help of his family and friends, Guido bought the land around the peak of Chucantí to establish the Cerro Chucantí Private Nature Reserve. But as the reserve grew over the years, it became obvious that an organization was needed to manage the reserve – so ADOPTA was created.

Research in Chucantí

Research in Chucantí

The Cerro Chucantí Private Nature Reserve offers unique research opportunities! Many projects have already been completed here, many of which led to the discovery of species new to science.

Research in Chucantí

The Cerro Chucantí Private Nature Reserve offers unique research opportunities! Many projects have already been completed here, many of which led to the discovery of species new to science.

Acknowledgements

The conservation of Cerro Chucantí has only been possible thanks to individual donors and organizations such as the Weeden Foundation, Rainforest Trust, and International Conservation Fund of Canada, whose funding and support have allowed us to purchase land to grow the Cerro Chucantí Private Nature Reserve. Without this support the rest of our conservation efforts would have been impossible.

We also thank every person who has visited the Reserve. Your interest and funds have helped maintain the reserve, opened the door to fascinating scientific discoveries, and continue to demonstrate how amazing this environment truly is.

Weeden Foundation ICFC Rainforest Trust

¡Muchísimas Gracias!

¡Muchísimas Gracias!

Weeden Foundation ICFC Rainforest Trust
Weeden Foundation ICFC Rainforest Trust