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Wizard Beach Cycad Endangerment Survey - 18MAR06 page 1
Isla Bastimentos has several populations of this "new" Zamia species - now designated Zamia sp.nov. The Red Frog
Beach development has done a great job of reducing this population. Wizard Beach has been continuously cleaned
over about 40-50% of the slim beach line area in the past. The latest "cleaning" has really done a job. Fortunately,
there are a few plants in that open area still intact. Once the border line, about 20-25 meters from high water line, has
been reached, for the time being at least, the plants are intact and thriving. A new proposed development along "long
Beach" to East of Red Frog has the potential to also decimate the population considerably. That it is "within" the Park
doesn't seem to provide any sort of protection, as can be noted at this time. The area around "Old Point" and where Al
Natural resort is located seems to have some reprieve (at the moment) from developing = decimating the plants.
The photos on these two pages are of the Wizard Beach area, as noted, and include shots of several we catalogued
from the Sept 04 & 05 Cycad Surveys conducted by the Panama Group. My initial trek and found was to the N side of
the "Bar" at the end of the trail across Isla Bastimentos. I came across the fellow doing the cleaning and spoke with
him at length about the plants and the need to protect/preserve them. He seemed genuinely concerned and said he
would give the owner my card when he saw him next. I made it as far as the peninsula to the left, the same one that Al
had indicated need to be checked. This slope had some specimens in the short walk I made up the slope; including a
small plant that was obviously from seed. It was probably less than 3 years old. This same species is found on Isla
Colon's Bluff Beach, where the plants are very much in distress from continuous "cleaning" = chopping all down!
On the left beach, a typical felled caudex striving to re-gain a foot hold. Typical of the numerous seen in that area.
This small female in cone was a surprise find in the midst of the many that had been felled.
That this plant was next to a tree may have contributed to its survival. Many leaves scattered about as can be seen.
The small 4 leaflet plant had this single leaf, and was a small caudex and easily removed from the soil. I searched
about for other seedlings of this age, but none found. Nor did I locate any larger plants within the area.
Upon returning towards the beach we all know, I was struck by the considerable shifting of the sands from the high
surf conditions, that had moved considerable sand up the beach, and now was taking some of it back, leaving this near
two foot high drop. That amount of sand movement was an obvious indicator of the amount of salt water that must
have been thrown well into the Cycad population along this Wizard or Wizzard Beach.
The right side of the Wizard or Wizzard beach area, where we have made our previous investigations, is significantly
cleaner! Obviously, Zamia sp.nov. leaf and caudex parts are scattered about everywhere.
Sweeping the view now towards the sea, a lone small plant in the foreground seemed especially vulnerable.
Now viewing Eastward, the well worn path is visible and the definite boundary of the cleared area, beyond which still
remains as a relatively virgin area with plenty of plants as we've seen before. The depth of their area inside is marked
by the lower mud flat, that runs inside that area, as you'll recall.
Looking directly into the inner area where the plants are still viable, gives one sense of urgency, seeing their previous
life ground has been reduced by 1/2 or more! Obvious remnants of plants that were felled litter the ground.
The house first seen in Sept 04 has progressed - virtually nil! The beach cleaning however, has been intensified as is
obvious in these photos.
