I just emerged from a week navigating the Peruvian Amazon. Well, I did not really do the navigating. The amazing crew aboard the charming Amatista did all of the work, and I just absorbed the beauty, the wildlife and the local culture. The Peruvians are proud and gracious hosts, and eager to share their country with visitors. We were welcomed into local schools, blessed by a medicine man, and mesmerized by the river and over 150 species of animals that we identified (with the help of our local naturalists). Even to a non-birder such as myself, you can not help but be enthralled by the myriad of colorful birds – macaws, parakeets, toucans, hawks, egrets, the list goes on and on.
And each day our skiffs would be escorted by pink dolphins who shyly just give you a glimpse of their fins as they slide through the river. The neon colored frogs and insects added to the rainbow of colors. Even the infamous piranha were stunningly beautiful and a treat, since we were catching and eating them rather than the reverse! And for this primate lover, the monkeys never failed to entertain. The little squirrel monkeys are the most prevalent, and amusing, leaping from tree branch to tree branch. We also saw howlers, spiders, and a rare sighting of nocturnal night monkeys nestled in a tree. Overall, the vastness and remoteness of the Amazon is powerful, as is its importance –without the rainforest we would have trouble breathing. It is one of the few places left on earth where you can escape “connectivity” to the outside world, and step back into a simpler life.
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