My six weeks living and experiencing the Western Amazon Rainforest with Crees, contributing to scientific research and biodiversity conservation.
I started my travels to Peru as a naïve 20 year old. My first trip abroad alone. My intention: to help preserve the rich diversity of wildlife in the Peruvian Amazon.
The Manu Biosphere Reserve is the most biodiverse place of Earth. As a volunteer, I aimed to learn more about this diversity.
Each day, I’d go into the field and collect data for scientific research. My actions helping to protect the future of the rainforest. At the same time, I’d see an abundance of animals.
Every week here at the Manu Learning Centre (MLC) is different. It may be butterfly research week or pitfalls week, when we study amphibians and reptiles. Then every day a team heads down to colpa, the clay lick where we collect data on the threatened Blue headed Macaw, and another group will go on an Avian and Mammal transect at 4.30am, and then there are always the night surveys.
A typical week looks like this:
Monday: I helped open the pitfalls; a series of buckets in the ground, aimed at collecting amphibians and reptiles. I enjoy pitfalls – you never know what you’re going to come across. In just one day, you may find a lot of frogs or even a snake.
Tuesday: It was my turn to help out at base with camp duty, assisting the kitchen and house keeping staff while practising Spanish with them.
Wednesday: This morning was my opportunity to do AMT. I listened to the birds waking up in the forest and recorded data on the different species and their location.
Thursday: Today I did a tough trek to complete the pitfall survey. I was rewarded with spotting cool caterpillars and an Adenomera frog that can be identified by the triangle between its eyes.
Friday: This was the best day. I went on colpa and it’s the perfect way to start the morning; you can enjoy identifying different birds while watching a beautiful sunrise over the Amazon rainforest. I then went on a pitfall survey. I found four more Adenomera frogs but best of all I saw a troop of 11 spider monkeys, with two babies. They’re an Endangered species, so I felt very privileged.
Saturday: It was a bit easier today, as I only checked a few pitfalls. I found one more Adenomera frog. Then I had a great evening organising a game for Saturday Night Fun.
Sunday: This is our day off to chill and relax in the hammocks.
During my time here I have seen a lot of wildlife; a number of different species of monkey, beautiful butterflies that love eating stinky fish bait, numerous frogs, snakes and hummingbirds, and even a sloth curled up in a tree at camp. I’m looking forward to seeing as much as I can in my remaining time here.
Personally, I have learnt to push myself when I was struggling physically or mentally, while doing a tough trek or just having a bad day. You can have bad days, even in a place as beautiful as this, but the good days can be amazing. I’ve become more independent through this experience and have overcome many challenges. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved.
