Why were environmental studies and wildlife monitoring included in the Panama Canal expansion project?

Environmental studies and wildlife monitoring were integrated into the Panama Canal expansion project primarily to address concerns regarding the development's impact on the local ecosystem.1

Following the approval of the Third Set of Locks Project, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) commissioned an environmental-impact study in 2007, conducted by the American firm URS and two Panamanian universities. To specifically mitigate the project's effects on wildlife, builders implemented extensive monitoring programs using both in-person observation and camera technology. These efforts were essential to determine the necessary types and quantities of traps required to safely capture and relocate animals to secure locations during the construction process.1