I had hoped to see a lot of jungle, unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate, and the itinerary didn't work out as planned. There are very interesting nature reserves, some of them are so reserved that no people are allowed in them.
I included the standard binomial names for species that I could identify. If you know any of the official names for any of the plants or animals on this page, please let me know so I can include them.
Pictures of birds in Honduras and other nature pages are separate:
There are quite a few nature reserves in Honduras. Unfortunately, the weather prevented me from seeing too much of them. Along the north shore are several beaches. On Sundays they are very crowded, everybody heads for the beach. Small mountains and small mountain ranges have some natural vegetation, but much of the land is cultivated.
Clouds on the coastal mountain range. (786k) The edge of cultivated land, merging into forest. (920k) A small mountain valley on the edge of Pico Bonito National Park. (1021k) A small mountain stream on the edge of Pico Bonito National Park. (1047k) A bridge to cross. (1363k) This was a pretty wobbly bridge. (1221k) View of the beach at La Ensenada. (1117k) View of the beach from Tornabé with Miami (not that Miami ) in the distance. (1011k) Sunset looking west from Triunfo de la Cruz. (554k) Sunset in Cuero y Salado. (450k) Thunderstorm illuminated after sunset by the sun below the horizon. This thunderstorm rained out my excursion in Cuero y Salado. (501k) Clouds casting shadows, illuminated from below the horizon. (455k) Sunset in Cuero y Salado. (469k) Sunset in Cuero y Salado. (501k) A rainy beach at Triunfo de la Cruz. (579k)
Flora
There are lots of flowers around, both in the wild and decorative flowers around the houses.
Some of the trees in the jungle reserves were quite impressive. The Ceiba, the sacred tree of the Mayas is one example of a tree that can grow very big. The Ceiba tree figures in the mythologies of pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures, in particular that of the Maya civilization, where the concept of the central world tree is often depicted as a Ceiba trunk, which connects the planes of the Underworld (Xibalba), the skies and the terrestrial realm.
View of the jungle in the Lancetilla Nature Reserve. (1429k) View of the jungle in the Lancetilla Nature Reserve. (1048k) View of the jungle in the Lancetilla Nature Reserve with philodendron growing on the trees. (1233k) Jungle tree with climbing philodendron. (1060k) Large clump of epiphytes growing on a tree in the nature reserve Cuero y Salado. (1320k) A bromeliad in the Lancetilla Nature Reserve. (784k) A Strangler Fig growing on a tree in the the Lancetilla Nature Reserve. It will eventually kill the tree by strangling it. (1170k) Closer view of the Strangler Fig. (1029k) Large growth on a Strangler Fig. (950k) A Ceiba tree. It was the sacred tree of the ancient Maya. (1016k) The base of Ceiba with the large buttress roots. (1217k) The Ceiba can grow quite big. (1094k) Closeup of one of the thorns on a Ceiba. (601k) Other trees have wicked looking thorns as well. (1106k) Entry to the Jardí Botánico Lancetilla, covered with Bamboo. (1339k) Red Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle, german: Rote Mangrove, french: Palétuvier rouge) in the Laguna de los Micos (Lagoon of the Monkeys), near Miami, just outside of Tela. (1224k) White Mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa, german: Weiße Mangrove, french: Palétuvier blanc) in the Laguna de los Micos. (1285k) Salt crust on mangrove roots. (940k) Tree covered with bromeliads. (1136k) Close-up of a bromeliad. (927k) An interesting looking flower on a tree. (506k) Flowering tree in the Laguna de los Micos. (1350k) Flowering tree in the Macaw Mountain Bird Reserve & Nature park. (1340k) Showy Rattlebox (Crotalaria spectabilis) in Cuero y Salado. (680k) Flower at the fringes of the Parque Nacional Pico Bonito. (587k) Flower at the fringes of the Parque Nacional Pico Bonito. (567k) Flower at the fringes of the Parque Nacional Pico Bonito. (685k) Flower at the fringes of the Parque Nacional Pico Bonito. (531k) Madagascar Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus, german: Rosafarbene Catharanthe, french: Pervenche de Madagascar). (777k) Morning Glory (Ipomoea sp., german: Prunkwinden, french: Ipomée). (576k) Flower in the Refugio de Vida Silvestre Punta Izopo. (707k) Torch Ginger (Etlingera elatior, german: Fackel-Ingwer, french: Rose de porcelaine) in the Macaw Mountain Bird Reserve. (634k) Flowers in the Refugio de Vida Silvestre Punta Izopo. (770k) Heliconia sp. (german: Helikonien:Genus) in the Lancetilla Nature Reserve. (445k) Heliconia sp. (german: Helikonien:Genus) in the Macaw Mountain Bird Reserve. (530k) Shell Ginger (Alpinia zerumbet, french: Gingembre coquille) at the Cabañas Aventuras del Bosque lodge near the Parque Nacional Pico Bonito. (608k) Close-up of the Shell Ginger flower (Alpinia zerumbet, french: Gingembre coquille). (529k) Red Ginger (Alpinia purpurata, french: Gingembre d'ornement rouge) at the Cabañas Aventuras del Bosque lodge near the Parque Nacional Pico Bonito. (538k) Red Ginger (Alpinia purpurata, french: Gingembre d'ornement rouge) in the Macaw Mountain Bird Reserve. (584k) Golden Shrimp Plant flower (Pachystachys lutea) at Macaw Mountain. (596k) Passion Fruit Flower (Passiflora edulis, german: Passionsfrucht, french: Grenadille). (582k) Chinese Hibiscus (Hibiscus sp., german: Hibiskus), probably (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, german: Chinesischer Roseneibisch, french: Hibiscus Rose de Chine). (574k) Red Heart Hibiscus (Hibiscus sp., german: Hibiskus). (556k) Spider Hibiscus, maybe (Hibiscus schizopetalus, german: Hibiskus). (534k) Mushroom in Cuero y Salado. (550k) Mushroom in the Lancetilla reserve. (862k)
Fauna
Other than birds I saw mainly lizards, iguanas and insects. I saw quite a few dragonflies, not that many butterflies.
The exception were the monkeys. I saw Central American White-faced Capuchins (Cebus imitator, german: Panamá-Kapuzineraffe) fairly close.
Termite nest in a tree on a hill near Triunfo de la Cruz. (801k) Mud tubes on a tree are covered walkways for termites. (1053k) Leafcutter ants climbing down a tree with pieces of leaves. (571k) Leafcutter ants do quite a number on the tree, all the young leaves are gone. (755k) Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax sp.). (555k) Red-mantled Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax fervida). (496k) Male Band-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax umbrata). (464k) Tropical King Skimmer dragonfly (Orthemis sp.). (476k) Banded Peacock ssp. fatima butterfly (Anartia fatima fatima). (684k) Crimson-patched Longwing butterfly (Heliconius erato petiverana, german: Kleiner Kurier). (582k) Dirce Beauty butterfly (Colobura dirce). (559k) Everywhere on the beach are these holes from small ghost crabs. (1297k) One of the small Atlantic Ghost Crabs (Ocypode quadrata, german: Westatlantische Reitkrabbe, french: Crabe fantôme atlantique). (810k) People seem to dig out these crabs, I saw these dug-out holes many times. (733k) Caribbean Hermit Crab (Coenobita clypeatus, german: Karibik-Landeinsiedlerkrebs, french: Pinceur violet) in a snail shell. (943k) One of the few frogs that I saw, a Northern Rainfrog (Craugastor sp.). (712k) White-lipped Mud Turtle (Kinosternon leucostomum). (1299k) Atlántida Scaly Anole (Anolis wilsoni). (735k) Honduran Rainbow Whiptail (Cnemidophorus ruatanus). (833k) Black Spiny-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura similis, german: Gemeiner Schwarzleguan, french: Iguane à queue épineuse noire) in a tree. (718k) Close-up of a Black Spiny-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura similis, german: Gemeiner Schwarzleguan, french: Iguane à queue épineuse noire). (703k) Green Iguana (Iguana iguana, german: Grüner Leguan, french: Iguane vert). (725k) A snake that somebody caught and brought into the bar for a minute to show around. (622k) Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus, german: Karibik-Languste, french: Langouste blanche). (731k) Central American White-faced Capuchin (Cebus imitator, german: Panamá-Kapuzineraffe) in a tree. (691k) Central American White-faced Capuchin (Cebus imitator, german: Panamá-Kapuzineraffe) in mangroves, eating crabs. (676k) Central American White-faced Capuchin (Cebus imitator, german: Panamá-Kapuzineraffe) eating in mangroves. (684k) Central American White-faced Capuchin (Cebus imitator, german: Panamá-Kapuzineraffe) eating in mangroves. (645k)
) in the distance. (1011k)
Dr. Günther Eichhorn Travel Website
Soaring website