A Journey with Jack - Panama & Costa Rica, 2000

Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures recently spent a week in Panama and Costa Rica producing several shows for this television season. This highly successful series about wildlife and conservation issues (aired in 98% of the television markets in the United States and seen in more than 60 countries worldwide) has produced shows all over the globe. This was Jack and the crew's first visit to Central or South America!

While there, we also produced a pilot show for a new series hosted by Jungle Jack's daughter, Kathaleen Hanna. Be sure to watch for more information on this developing show. You'll see Kathaleen traveling to fascinating parts of the world, mingling with interesting cultures, climbing mountains, whitewater rafting, and of course - checking out the animal life!

Unlike Africa where animals range over the grasslands, making them easy to spot and film, wildlife in the tropical rain forest is a bit more challenging. Lush green tropical forests are fantastic hiding places for a vast array of intriguing beasts. Most rain forest creatures are relatively small (with exception of the elusive jaguar and pig-like tapir), and all are well-camouflaged, so you have to keep your eyes peeled and cameras ready! With this in mind, Jack and crew planned to shoot in several locations to bring you the best animal-viewing.

With a tight two-week schedule the filming had to go well, and Panama fit the bill perfectly because of the close proximity of each shooting location. After a 6:37pm landing in Panama, we quickly cleared customs/immigration and then - within a 30-minute drive - we found ourselves in the midst of a rain forest at the unique "Canopy Tower" ready to film!

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We would like to thank the following sponsors and supporters of our trip:

Panama
Continental AirlinesContinental Airlines, COPA Airlines, Panama Jones, Canopy Tower & Canopy Adventure, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Gamboa Rainforest Resort, Hotel Rincon Vallero, Miramar Intercontinental Hotel, International Primate Sanctuary of Panama - Florida State, University PANAMA, Summit Gardens Zoo, Autoridad de la Region Interoceanica, Instituto Nacional de Cultura, Patronato Panama Viejo, Direccion Nacional de Seguridad del Aeropuerto, Internacional de Tocumen, Informacion Turistica del IPAT en el Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen, Departmento de Mercadeo y Publicidad del IPAT, Policia de Turismo.

Costa Rica
Grupo Pro Imagen, Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, CATIE, Hotel Sangilder, World of Snakes, Destination Costa Rica, Swiss Travel, Ivan Vincenti-Rojas, Vice-Minister & staff of the Minister of Environment & Energy, Alvaro Rodriguez Echandi, Discovery Travel, Rios Topicales Aviarios del Caribe, Eduardo Carrillo, CATIE, Stanley Arguedas, Administrator of Corcovado National Park, Edwin Cyrus, Administrator for National Parks Altantic Coast, Hotel Tara, Institute of Biodiversity, The Butterfly Farm, Travel Excellence, Fantasy Tours.

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