Mundo Azul

The jungles of the department of Madre de Dios are some of the least disturbed tropical rainforests left in the world. The department still retains more than 85% of its original forest cover, and is home to healthy populations of animals which have all but disappeared in other areas of the Amazon: jaguar, harpy eagle and the large macaws of the genus Ara.

This exiting research programs offers you the unique chance to experience and work with several threatened and fascinating rainforest species like Makaws and other parrot species, tapirs, giant river otters and many other bird and mammal species. If you always wanted to experience pristine rainforest and obtain a profound understading of rainforest ecology – then this is your chance.

Manu is a small area within the Madre de Dios department and it includes the Manu National Park and the neighboring proposed Blanquillo Ecological Reserve. Manu has been known to have the best rainforest in the world because of their unspoiled surroundings and amazing wildlife. Besides the wide variety of birds (1,000 species only in the Manu area) it harbors the most approachable and fantastic macaw lick in Peru, the one you will study at during your stay. You also will be involved in studiing the largest land animal in South America, the lowland tapir as well as the highly threatened giant river otters. You will help monitoring the environmental impact of human presence (tourism) on birds and monkeys and thereby help us and the staff of the Blanquillo lodge to improve performance and diminish eventual negative impacts. And with some luck you may even spot a jaguar during your stay. Definitely the experience in Manu is the best in the variety of rainforests of the world.

Tambo Blanquillo , the lodge where you will stay during our research program, is located in the recently proposed Blanquillo Ecological Reserve, an area of almost 14,000 hectares within a much larger area of undisturbed rainforest. The Reserve is special because of the presence of a large numbers of macaws and parrots in addition to an abundance of primates such as spider monkeys and howler monkeys (in total 10 species of monkeys can be found in the area of the reserve), forest ungulates such as peccaries and deer, and top predators such as jaguar, giant otter and black caiman.

Useful terms

Ccollpa : clay lick used by birds and/or mammals.
Trocha : jungle trail
Cocha : oxbow lake, formerly a part of a river and formed due to a deviation of it.

The local sites you will work at

Makaw lick

One very distinctive habitat in the area around Tambo Blanquillo is the “shebonal”, so-called because of the abundance of one palm species called “shebon” (Attalea sp.). This kind of forest is restricted in area within the proposed Blanquillo Ecological Reserve. The soil of shebonal forest is high in clay content, making it impermeable and therefore, seasonally flooded during the rainy months.

The shebonal soil forms the so called clay licks, locally knows as “ccollpas” which are used by a number of birds and mammal species, especially by macaws as a nutrient to balance their diets. Previous research in Madre de Dios by the Wildlife Conservation Society has shown that the diet of macaws contains many kinds of adult and immature seeds. These seeds tent to contain noxious chemicals as a deterrent to seed predators such as macaws and parrots. Additional research has shown that the clay acts as a kind of digestive aid, helping to remove these toxins from the digestive tract of the macaws.

The Blanquillo Ccollpa is located 10 minutes downstream from the lodge. It’s a 20 feet (6 meters) tall clay bank that can be photographed from many angles at short distance from the lodges blind that is located only a few meters away from the lick. The position of the lick makes perfect for taking pictures and observing the birds in a way not being possible anywhere else in the world. The direct morning sun bathes the clay wall in light making it possible to take pictures with 2 – 2.5 more “f-stops” of your camera, than it is possible at shaded licks. This extra light allows to shoot superb pictures of birds in flight with fine-grain film.

The lick is visited each morning by a huge number of different Makaw species and other smaller parots. Your work will be to observe the number of species, the number of individuals per species, the time of their appearance and the behavior demonstrated.

Large Macaws of the genus Ara are among the most endangered species of birds in the rainforests of South America, due to loss of habitat and the illegal bird trade. They are favored as pets because of the beauty, intelligence and long lifespan. Although trade in macaws is prohibited by international law, and captive breeding is a possibility, macaws in the wild are still caught as chicks by cutting down the tree where the nest is located. Often the fall of the nest tree results in immediate death of any chicks; others die before reaching their sales destination due to inadequate transport and housing facilities.

Research has shown that the reproductive rate of macaws in the wild is extremely low. Macaws are monogamous, remaining with their mate during the majority of their 40 to 60 year lifespan. Probably die to limited nesting sites, only about 25-30% of the reproductive pairs in a population produce a nest each year. The chicks grow slowly, fledging after about 3 months in the nests, and remaining dependent on their parents for almost a year. These characteristics make macaw populations especially sensitive to impacts caused by illegal harvest and habitat destruction.

At Blanquillo, the most abundant macaw species using the clay lick is the “red-and-green” macaw, Ara chloroptera. Scarlet macaws, blue-and yellow macaws, chestnut-fronted and blue-headed macaws use the shebonal habitat. They are seen frequently at the lick, but do not use it with the same frequency as the red-and-greens.

Cocha Camungo

Located ten minutes by boat from the lodge, then about 20 minutes walk along trail. One group of giant river otters uses this lake (5 to 7 members). Also the horned screamer called “camungo” is found in the overgrown part. This part is also good for: caciques, several kinds of rails and herons. Spider monkeys can be found in the left hand section of the lake and also very rare and small emperor monkeys. Your work will be to collect information about the numbers of individuals as well the time of their presence and their behavior – you also will help recording their sounds and identifying other species visiting the lake.

Cocha Blanco

About 45 minutes via motorized canoe from lodge, can be reached also by trail (about 2 hours of walking). One group of giant river otters, black caiman, and leaf-eating hoatzins may be seen on the lake. Also capuchin and squirrel monkeys and peccaries are fairly common in the trail to the lake. On this trail very old logging activity can be showed. Your work will be to collect information about the numbers of individuals as well the time of their presence and their behavior – you also will help recording their sounds and identifying other species visiting the lake.

Trocha Aguajal

This trail leads you through a Mauritia palm swamp forest, which is only temporarily flooded. Palm swamps are important nesting sites for the parrot species Ara nobilis and Ara manilota. Palm fruit is important food resource for almost all animals (and also for people!). Your work is going to be to walk the trail in together with tourists and alone in order to register differences in species diversity and number that might have their cause in the presence of humans or the tourists’ behavior (noise). This will serve the lodges management to improve their performance and reduce eventual negative impacts you will find. You will also help recording animals’ voices.

Trocha Castañal

This trail leads through an upland forest not being affected by meandering rivers like most of the other trails. Brazil nut (“castaña”) trees are found only in this forest. Spider monkeys and rodents such as agouti can be found along this trail. Because this forest is not disturbed by the river, the forest is “older” than that of other trails. Your work is going to be to walk the trail in together with tourists and alone in order to register differences in species diversity and number that might have their cause in the presence of humans or the tourists’ behavior (noise). This will serve the lodges management to improve their performance and reduce eventual negative impacts you will find. You will also help recording animal’s voices.

Read here about the Blanquillo lodge, center of our research program.

Read here how you can take part in this research program