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Barro Colorado Island is an island located in the Lake Gatún portion of the Panama Canal.
The island was formed when the waters of the Chagres River were dammed to form Gatun Lake. When the waters rose, they covered a significant part of the existing rainforest, and the hilltops remained as islands in the middle of the lake.
Because of its uniquely diverse and intact ecosystem, Barro Colorado is considered one of the best conserved natural environments in the world. The Smithsonian Institute has a permanent research center in the island, dedicated to studying the rainforest ecosystem.
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