Home 2-week expeditions Peru - jaguar, puma, parrots & peccaries

Icons of the Amazon: jaguars, pumas, parrots and peccaries in Peru. This expedition is currently under review with a new scientist and research station operator coming in in 2010. The expedition may run in late 2010 or, more likely, in 2011 again. Please check this page for further updates.  Price/dates/status This expedition was honoured in responsibletravel.com magazine’s "Top Responsible Holiday" list. This wildlife volunteer expedition will take you to a remote biodiversity hotspot of the Peru Amazon rainforest. As part of a small international team, you will experience living and working in the jungle together with local biologists on an important wildlife survey concentrating on four icons of the Amazon: jaguars, pumas, parrots and peccaries. In doing this you will aid efforts of declaring the area protected and developing sustainable management strategies. You will be working from hides observing macaws feeding on riverside clay lick sites, and studying peccaries, deer and the top end cat predators from a hide inside the rainforest. Working from a comfortable jungle lodge in a remote part of the forest, you will also be walking along jungle paths trying to spot, identify and record the animals you come across. PRICE = Expedition contribution (land only per slot) £1130 (ca. €1130 | US$1850 | AU$1190). Please note: expedition contributions are quoted in British pound sterling and the approximate Euro and US Dollar equivalent. Try the XE currency converter for other currencies and an up to date Euro and US Dollar exchange rate. Where does my money go and other money questions. Dates This expedition is currently under review with a new scientist and research station operator coming in in 2010. The expedition may run in late 2010 or, more likely, in 2011 again. Please check this page for further updates. Team members can join for multiple slots (within the periods specified). How long can I join for? Status Red: Expeditions of status red have no spaces available (or have already been to the field). If an expedition is full already, you may have the option of going on a waiting list. Terrain Mostly flat tropical rainforest and rivers. Weather expected during expedition The expedition takes place in the transition period between the dry and the wet seasons. This period is free from the cold fronts that occur between May and September and is a pleasant time of year to be in the rainforest, although temperatures can rise to 35°C. Expedition base Base camp is a large riverside wooden jungle lodge / research station with twin rooms, showers and toilets. Team size Up to 10 team members + 2 biologists/guides + 1 expedition leader. Skills & prerequisites required None. You don't need to be a scientist or have any special qualifications - everyone can take part and there are no age limits whatsoever. Can laypeople really be of help to serious research & conservation projects? Fitness level required Ability to walk about 5-15 km per day in mostly flat rainforest terrain. Will it be for me or am I too old/young/unfit? Team assembly point Puerto Maldonado, a regional centre in southeast Peru. What about carbon neutrality and other environmental and social impact? Who books my flights? And finally Our expeditions are not about playing the primitive, neither are we a military style 'boot-camp'. Our expedition leader and the local scientist will be by your side and we believe strongly that we get the best out of our expedition teams by making them comfortable, safe and well fed. You won’t be living in the lap of luxury, but we will do our best to make you feel comfortable and at home in your working environment, as this is the key to a well-balanced and successful expedition. Details This wildlife volunteer expedition will conduct a survey of iconic species in one of the best conserved remaining regions of the Amazon basin with vast areas of unbroken canopy. The aim of the survey is to gain a better understanding of the ecological importance of natural clay licks as this information will assist in the development of an environmentally sensitive and sustainable management strategy. The project builds on one of Biosphere Expeditions’ longest running studies, with the focus now changing to better understand the importance of mineral licks in the lives of macaws and peccaries, as well as the top-end predators puma and jaguar. Once we understand how the clay lick ecology works, strategies for their sustainable use in eco- and nature tourism can be developed that will benefit local people and wildlife and provide strong incentives to protect more natural habitat that is currently threatened by unsustainable and short-term gain logging, gold mining and oil & gas exploration. Aims & objectives The main aim of this research is to determine the importance of clay licks in the daily patterns of peccaries and deer, to understand how this may influence their movements and abundance, and as a consequence the movements and abundance of the big cats that feed on them. To this end we have four main objectives: (1) To determine patterns of occurrence and species abundance of peccary, deer, puma and jaguar in relation to the proximity of known mineral clay licks. (2) To produce a comprehensive map of all clay licks in the Las Piedras concession area. (3) To identify the species and monitor the behaviour of animals visiting a mammal colpa. (4) Identify key prey items in the diets of puma and peccary. (5) In addition, we also wish to determine patterns of activity and behaviour at a parrot and macaw clay lick. Background Increasing economic development is putting a strain on the natural resources of the Peruvian Amazon. Unsustainable forms of farming, logging and tourism are on the rise, especially along the Tambopata river, an area renowned for its biodiversity. The river Piedras represents an adjacent river system, connecting Tambopata and Manu with little human presence compared to Tambopata. The area is generally recognised as being one of the best conserved remaining regions of the Amazon basin with over 60% of the department legally protected and with vast areas of unbroken canopy. As such it represents an ideal site for ecological studies with limited human influence. Pumas and jaguars: Both of the two species of big cat that live in South America are found in Peru: the jaguar (Panthera onca) and the puma (Puma concolor). Both cats range over large territories and need large areas of undisturbed habitat in order to maintain viable populations. As humans increasingly encroach on their habitat, conflict results as most of the animals eaten by jaguar and puma are also hunted by humans. In many areas, over-hunting and poaching by humans has reduced these prey populations to very low numbers. The best places to study these big cats are in wilderness areas where neither they, nor the animals they prey upon, have been reduced in numbers, such as in the study site of the expedition. Peccaries: Both the collared peccary (Tayassu tajacu) and white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) occur in the expedition study site. White-lipped peccaries and collared peccaries differ from each other in terms of size and social structure. Although all peccary species are highly social, the white-lipped peccary typically lives in larger herds than the collared peccary. In tropical rain forests, white-lipped peccaries usually occur in herds of 50 to 300 or more individuals, while collared peccaries usually occur in herds of 6 to 9 individuals. White-lipped peccary herds range over great areas and do not seem to be territorial, while collared peccary herds have smaller home ranges and defend territories. The large, nomadic herds of the white-lipped peccary are unique as no other forest-dwelling ungulate in the Neotropics occurs in such large groups and resemble in size the herds of many plains-dwelling ungulates. Both species of peccary are often observed at mineral licks where they are vulnerable to hunters, and of course their natural predators – jaguars and pumas. As such we hypothesise that pumas and jaguars will seek out mineral licks in order to find their preferred prey. Mineral licks or colpas: Mineral licks, also called salt licks, clay licks or colpas, are sites where animals come to eat soil. Natural licks are known as mineral-rich places. Visiting licks is associated with costs for the animal such as energy needed to get to the lick, increased exposure to diseases due to increased contact between animals, as well as increased risk of predation and poaching. The benefits from visiting licks must outweigh these costs. While many studies have analyzed chemical composition of lick soils, relatively few studies have looked at the impact of lick distribution on home range size and movement patterns of mammals. Study species The rainforest is home to a huge array of animal and bird species and we may encounter the following species: At the mammal colpa: Jaguar Puma Brocket deer Collared peccary White-lipped peccary Brown agouti Green agouchy Southern Amazonian red squirrel Spix’s guan Razor-billed curassow At the macaw colpa: Red-and-green macaw Scarlet macaw Blue-headed parrot Mealy parrot Yellow-crowned parrot On the transect trails - day: Monk saki monkey Red howler monkey Black spider monkey White-lipped peccary Capuchin monkeys Squirrel monkey Saddleback tamarin On the transect trails - night: Night monkey Kinkajou Olingo Paca Ocelot Common opossum Armadillo spp. Typical day Activities are usually decided the night before and then confirmed in the morning, depending on the weather. The whole set-up of the expedition is quite flexible so that you can participate according to the weather conditions, your skills and general fitness and how you feel on the day. On some days you may have an early start, whilst on others you may be on a night shift at the clay lick. Usually you undertake one shift per day on one of the monitoring activities, lasting between four to seven hours. Additional tasks can be undertaken by those willing to do more, but afternoons and evenings are generally rest, recovery or data entry time. A cook will prepare our meals at base camp where you will return to eat, rest and have a shower. Research area Peru is located on the Pacific coast of South America and is the third largest country on the continent. Two thirds of Peruvian territory is located within the Amazon basin. The expedition base camp is within the department of Madre de Dios, internationally known as “the Biodiversity Capital of the World”. The department already contains two large national parks covering over half of its 78,000 km² area – Manu and the vast Bahuaja-Sonene (Tambopata) area. The Rio Piedras is located between the two. In terms of biological diversity, the research area is amongst the richest in the world. The area’s ecosystems hold several world records in flora and fauna species numbers and are recognised as one of the planet’s biodiversity hotspots. Research conducted over the last 20 years in the Bahuaja-Sonene National Park has shown that it harbours more species of birds (587), butterflies (1,230) and many other animal taxa than any other location of comparable size. It has recently also been identified as the largest uninhabited and untouched rainforest wilderness on Earth, covering about 1 million hectares (2.5 million acres) of undisturbed and unhunted habitat (the nearest rival, the island of New Guinea has about 100,000 hectares of uninhabited tropical forest habitat). The area is also home to a number of landmark animals listed in the IUCN's Red Data Book. Amongst them the giant river otter, giant armadillo, giant anteater, ocelot, jaguarundi, jaguar, harpy eagle, crested eagle, spectacled caiman, and black caiman. Over 150 different species of tree can be found within 100 m2 alone, and the WWF and IUCN have identified the area as a 'Centre of Plant Diversity'. Partners For this expedition, Biosphere Expeditions is partnered with the Tambopata Macaw Project, directed by Dr Donald Brightsmith of Texas A&M, as well as lodges and research centres in the area such as Posada Amazonas, Refugio Amazonas, Tambopata Research Centre & Explorer's Inn. Each year our scientists and his fellow researchers also produce two reports for the local Peruvian ministry in charge of natural areas, SERNANP. Through our expedition base at Piedras we are also involved with the local community by creating jobs for local people and building capacity through training & creating assets. Swarovski Optik and Motorola also support this expedition. Maps   Map of the region and study site.     Google map of all Biosphere Expeditions study sites, expedition bases, assembly points, office locations, etc.   Pictures Jaguar (primary study species).  Puma (primary study species). Red and green macaws (primary study species) at a colpa clay lick. Red and green macaws (primary study species) flying away from a colpa clay lick. Collared peccary (primary study species). Red howler monkey hanging around camp and providing wake up calls! Squirrel monkey. Tayra. Sloth. Black caiman. River turtles. Tree frog. Anolis nitens. Oropendola. Horned screamer. Butterflies at base camp.   Amazon basin landscape with Piedras river. Rainbow over the study site.   Working to fill in the white gaps on the map around the study site. Marking a transect trail.   Recording wildlife on the transect trail. Setting up a track trap. The hide in front of the parrot clay lick. Building an observation tower.  Hoist mechanism up to the observation tower.  In the observation tower.  Exploring the forest. Lunch wrapped in banana leaf. Boat ride to base camp. Getting stuck on a sand bank on the way to base camp.  Base camp (from right to left: dining and study platform, sleeping quarters, showers and toilet block). Base camp.   Taking a nap at base. Candlelit dinner at base.  "Power shower" at base.  An expedition team.  More images on Biosphere Expeditions'    Video Video clip of a white caiman and a tapir taken during a night survey along the river. Base camp and base camp life . Rainforest & wildlife. Watch more Peru expedition clips on YouTube.   Audio The sound of parrots in the forest. Press CSI: Amazon in English  View article 2.19 Mb The rare twitch project in English  View article 1.52 Mb Deep in the Peruvian Amazon in Lonely Planet "Code Green" handbook 2006 in English  View entry 1.43 Mb Parrots in Peru  in English  Vew article 907.78 Kb     Discovering clay licks in English  View article 918.93 Kb     Amazonian adventures in English  View article 1.47 Mb Zu Sechzehnt Lehm lecken in German  View article 501.27 Kb Das peruanische Dschungelbuch in German  View article 719.08 Kb Feedback "I look forward to developing future research ideas with Biosphere Expeditions, based on several years of good experience already from the support and expertise provided for research into mammals and macaws. This is an excellent funding and data-collecting model that has multiple benefits across the board from scientists, to in-country assistants and of course the range of people who choose to participate." Alan Lee, expedition scientist, Peru. "Biosphere Expeditions makes research and conservation projects a reality in countries where funding for such projects is hard to obtain. Our research in the Amazon rainforest of Peru is no exception. Without Biosphere there would be no chance of organising such a large scale worthwhile research project." Emma Hume & Juan Julio Durand, Las Piedras Research Station, Peru. "My name is Aldo Ramirez Mejia. I am 21 years old and from the local community at Lake Sandoval. While I finish my studies in Puerto Maldonado, I work with the Tambopata Macaw Project studying macaws and claylicks, which is supported by Biosphere Expeditions. Traditionally, my family has fished, farmed and hunted, but thanks to Biosphere Expeditions and its ecotourism and conservation opportunities, I have been able to dedicate my time to my interest with the local wildlife with which I grew up, rather than hunting it. Thank you very much." Aldo Ramirez Mejia, Lake Sandoval community, Peru. “Just a big thank you to everyone involved in making this the trip of a lifetime.” Phil Bannister, 45. “The expedition has been among the greatest experiences of my life.” Peter Bird, 63. “I enjoyed the expedition immensely. This place is truly a paradise and I hope all our assistance will help to preserve this habitat. Thanks for a very memorable trip!” Wendy Wood, 41. Feedback from team members about their experiences and reasons for coming (on/from various expeditions).  “I spent a wonderful time here in the rainforest and I’m so thankful to everybody who helped to make it so perfect! Thank you!” Eveline Häusler, 31. “An excellent trip, which exceeded all expectations.” Charlie MacLaughlan, 41. “Thank you very much for this amazing experience. I will absolutely come on another expedition with Biosphere Expeditions.” Jany Dredge, 30. “A wonderful time, truly pleasurable company and the experience of a lifetime in combination with a worthwhile cause.” Deanna Steele, 35. “I really liked the diversity of surveys that we could work on and the freedom to choose our daily activities. It was incredible to be able to go out on surveys one-on-one with a local guide.” Melissa Craddock, 48. “This expedition was absolutely amazing….the scientists and staff were really passionate about the expedition.” Johannes Goerg, 30. “I feel it was a professional, safe, well-organised expedition with top leader, scientists and accommodation. The place is amazing.”  Winfried Hochstetter. “Another excellent expedition. A great experience.”  Bob Hussey, 48. “A great expedition.  I really feel I’ve learnt a lot in the last two weeks and had the chance to experience the beauty and wildlife of the rainforest. Thank you to everyone involved.”  Katie Bunting, 33. “A great expedition which was well organised……had a fantastic time. Thanks to all.” Janice Thompson, 33.  Briefing The expedition briefing contains very detailed information on this expedition, including instructions on how to get to the assembly point, what you will be doing whilst on expedition and who your expedition leader and scientists will be. You can access briefings via the Download Centre. Join Go on, you know you want to Sign up here.