| Stuart Timson, Director of our incredible | | | | not only for the amazing experiences they |
| Peruvian Conservation Project gives us the | | | | provided for the volunteers but also as |
| news from the Amazon Rainforest: | | | | indicators of a healthy ecosystem and |
| | | | reflecting our good work in the reserve. |
| The heavy rains promised by the storms | | | | Anaconda Colpa had not been visited for a |
| earlier in January never materialized and so | | | | while and the first few groups to use it this |
| this wet season has been relatively dry thus | | | | year had some great sightings including a |
| enabling us to work without delays over the | | | | red-brocket deer, a tayra and two grisons. |
| last couple of months. With the lodge filling | | | | The last two species belong to the weasel |
| up to near capacity and the willingness of | | | | family, Mustelidae, and the grison is an |
| the volunteers to get stuck in I have been | | | | animal that we have only ever seen once |
| able to advance much quicker than planned. A | | | | before around the reserve. Last week a group |
| lot has been accomplished in little time and | | | | of visiting tourists got a wonderful surprise |
| I will try and do justice to all the hard | | | | when they reached the top canopy platform to |
| work and the latest advances at Taricaya. | | | | see a margay standing in the kapok tree. This |
| | | | small arboreal cat is rarely seen as it is |
| Let's start with the ongoing improvements in | | | | generally nocturnal but I am confident that |
| the animal release program and needless to | | | | this individual was the one that we released |
| say there are new residents in the project | | | | in 2004 about 600m from the canopy. Whether |
| whilst old friends have been released back | | | | it is the same or not it is a wonderful |
| into the wild. Our nursery is starting to | | | | sighting, one of the best at the canopy so |
| fill up and there were three new arrivals | | | | far. |
| over the last few weeks. A first at Taricaya | | | | |
| was an infant common squirrel monkey, whose | | | | The farm project continues to flourish and in |
| continual chattering is now a familiar sound | | | | March we concentrated on our Heliconia |
| around the centre. Later the same week we | | | | project. We are already producing large |
| also received another young paca and a | | | | quantities of flowers from our original |
| dusky-headed parakeet chick. The nursery | | | | plants but this month we were given a |
| seems much more vibrant with the new | | | | collection of many different species to grow |
| additions and the place has also been | | | | and hopefully make nurseries should the |
| brightened up by the artistic talents of some | | | | flowers find a market. This meant that |
| of our volunteers who painted numerous | | | | volunteers were clearing and planting a lot |
| animals on the walls creating a much more | | | | of the time and we now have several plots |
| colorful environment. Plans for April include | | | | with neat rows of the different species. We |
| new cages for the growing macaw populations | | | | now have to wait for the plants to react |
| as just two weeks ago we received two more | | | | after the transfer from Puerto Maldonado and |
| chestnut-fronted macaws and a scarlet macaw. | | | | hope that the new species produce flowers |
| | | | with a good market value. Elsewhere at the |
| Just as we received new guests last month we | | | | farm the donkeys are recovering well from a |
| also released some old ones. Bianca the young | | | | stomach parasite and the volunteers are |
| paca was growing at a phenomenal rate and was | | | | training them by riding them around some of |
| quickly outgrowing her cage in the nursery. | | | | the trails. One female is pregnant so she |
| Pacas are naturally very independent animals | | | | just follows along behind without a rider. |
| so we decided to release her just in front of | | | | The idea is to increase their stamina to |
| the lodge. Being nocturnal by nature she is | | | | enable them to work when fully recuperated. |
| now happily running around at night often | | | | |
| startling volunteers on their way back from | | | | As you can see a lot has been accomplished |
| the dining room. She is continuing to grow | | | | already this year and with a lodge full of |
| and appears to be thriving with her new | | | | industrious volunteers I expect to keep the |
| freedom. | | | | work rate up over the coming months. It is an |
| | | | exciting time to be involved and there is |
| Moving on I feel that several sightings | | | | plenty of work for everyone!! |
| around the reserve are worthy of a mention | | | | |