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| Me next to a massive strangler fig |
I’ve been in Peru now for a month and what a month it’s
been. The rainy season has officially arrived and wow does it come down still
getting high temperatures of around 34⁰C with Humidity anything between 48-87% so
very different to England temperatures. Jumpers are coming out when the
temperatures drops to the 20s which is odd usually the t-shirts and shorts are
out in true Brit style but not here. Everything is odd here even the moon is at
odd angles, I use the word odd in a positive way.
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| Giant otters at Cocococha |
Days here vary some day’s full and busy helping researchers with
collecting data for their Master’s degree. So far have helped in data
collection for two different research projects going on in the reserve near Explorers
Inn one involving a massive 10 year project on the productivity of the
rainforest looking at the carbon cycle, root establishment, tree growth and the
composition of carbon within leaf falls just to name a few of the components in
the research investigation within this complex project. Another project is to do
with the importance of termites within the rainforest ecosystem and how different
food sources effects termite efficiency dependent on various factors one
including the isotopes found within C3 and C4 plants for example. Otherwise mornings can be spent trekking in the
forest on the lookout for mammals, reptiles, birds ect include a bit of tree
climbing or monitoring of the otters at the lake or birds at the claylick and you’ve
got a good morning well spent then in after lunch when the temperature has
cooled I like going back out into the jungle or the other week a few of us went
to a nearby river beach for a cool down tip in the river. It was fun once you
got over the conversion between sand under your feet to weird sludge feeling
mud and what were swimming in the lake with you … caiman, piranha, giant
catfish, parasites that can get up inside of you (so no peeing in the river)
and sand flies on the sand that carry a flesh eating bacteria that if they
carry the harmful protozoa and if bitten, can infect you with this disease…so
once you block out that it’s a joyful experience with a gorgeous backdrop of
the jungle and setting sun its real a stunning place to be.
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| Cocococha lake |
Hannah and I also spent a night at Cocococha Lake a 5km hike from
the lodge, it was awesome sleeping in hammocks under the stars then monitoring
black caiman at night in a little tin boat. Although caiman aren’t aggressive
like crocodiles these black caiman have been known to grow to lengths of 6meters!
I haven’t seen any that big yet but they are incredibly primal looking and
being up close to a 2.5meter caiman gets your pulse racing. Cocococha lake is
also home to the largest family of the endangered giant river otters in the
Tampobata area and on occasion have had the pleasure in sighting these amazing
mammals. The group consists of 11 individuals who can be seen early in the
mornings or in the late afternoon catching fish and socialising with one
another around the lake. These are curious creatures who will cautiously
approach the boat while bobing their heads up and down in the water combined with
caution growls to warn you not to get to close in their territory but seen
otherwise unfazed by human presence and will cruise on to the next patch of
lake and continue catching fish.  |
| Red howler monkey |
After being out here for a month I have finally started on a
couple of monitoring projects for my own fascination and experience. Firstly I am
collecting data on different species of snakes in the area. Because I don’t a
have research permit I means I can’t go out with intentions to capture mark and
release this animals I have to just record statistics on the ones that I or the
other RNs or the guides come across while out on the trails. Although there are
great variety and numbers of snakes out there they are incredibly hard to come
across because or there incredible stealth and camouflage and generally flee
with any disturbance near them so this is going to be a 9 month project where I
can interpret the data nearer the end of my time here. Meanwhile I have also decided
to monitor the primate groups around Explorers inn. Studies in the location of primate
groups have taken place periodically over the last 21 years in the immediate
area by four different Resident Naturalists. The last study to have taken place
was in 2004 so I am going to collect my own data during the wet season then
collect some more data during the dry season then using the old data going back
to 1990 I will hopefully discover some patterns in group numbers, sizes and
territories over the years.
On top of learning as much about this incredible jungle as I can
while staying in Peru you need a break or to do something different so I am
also learning how to play chess and speak Spanish. I have also learnt to play a
new game call Rumikub which apparently is massive in Europe apart from in
England and the card game S**t head which is a great game to pass the time in
the evenings.
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| Beautiful humming bird found with two eggs in a nest on a trail close to the lodge |
Left:toad infected by a fungus,Right poison dart frog found on a night walk. Right below: Amazon grass hopper and Below red and green macaws in the wild amazing!
