The Panama Canal is an engineering innovation integral to modern shipping, international travel and trade. Surrounding the canal is the Panama Canal Watershed, a 1,300-acre area with significant biodiversity. The Panama Canal Authority works to ensure that development of the Panama Canal has a minimal effect on the ecosystem, so that local wildlife flourishes. The watershed is inhabited by 112 species of reptiles, 80 species of amphibians and 546 species of birds.
