Mauricio Hoyos

Born in Panama City, Mauricio grew up immersed in the city’s surrounding rainforests. This gave ¨Mau¨ a true and early passion for the jungle, both the natural and the urban jungle. After obtaining his degree in Biology from the University of Panama, Mau went on to specialize in animal Ethology and Physiology while working for different organizations and institutions performing field research. Radio tracking and mist-netting passerine birds with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) and the Institute of Bird Populations made him curious about the behavior of migratory birds. This led him to complete work as a biological technician with the United States National Park Service doing migrant conservation on Fire Island, New York, and then working on the conservation of their habitat with forestry studies in Bahia, Brazil.

Eventually, his enthusiasm for research made him want to share all of his natural and cultural history knowledge with others. For over 15 years Mau has excelled as a naturalist guide in many tropical countries, always pointing out the importance of observation and curiosity. When he is not in the field leading groups or recording observations, true to his urban roots, for the last decade he has been running one of Panama City’s trendiest bars in Casco Antiguo, Panama City’s historic district and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, all this while studying ¨human behavior¨.