Wildlife conservation volunteering in the Amazon
| country: | Peru |
| location: | Peruvian Amazon |
| departures: | 2009: 4 Dec 2010: 27 Mar, 28 Aug, 16 Sep, 16 Nov, 4 Dec |
| price: | From £1895 - £1995 (15 - 16 days) excluding flights |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
The vast, relatively untouched Amazonian forests of northeastern Peru harbor an incredible diversity of wildlife. Rare Amazon River manatees and dolphins still swim in the Yavari and Samaria Rivers, which form part of the Amazon basin, while giant river otters cavort along the edges. Monkeys and extraordinary birds populate the trees.
In this remote and isolated region of the Amazon, you will join scientists Richard Bodmer and Pablo Puertas on a fantastic boat trip assisting in their comprehensive survey of the area’s biodiversity including river otters, fish, and river turtles, macaws, peccaries, tapirs, deer, monkeys, and game birds.
From the Ayapua, a vintage boat from the Amazon's rubber boom period, you will work with a team of skilled Peruvian biologists to collect information about the wildlife populations in one of two river areas, Lago Preto or the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, depending on the season. Volunteers rotate between aquatic surveys for dolphins, manatees, giant river otters, fish, and river turtles from motorized canoes. You will also count macaws and conduct land surveys of peccaries, tapirs, deer, monkeys, and game birds.
At night, you will do spotlight surveys for caimans. With expedition staff, you will meet and talk to local people about their fishing, hunting, and conservation efforts, and practice some Spanish. In your recreational time, you can peruse the well-stocked library, enjoy a selection of Amazon-themed films on movie nights, or simply relax with a glass of wine on deck in one of the Earth's greatest wild places.
Macaw surveys – 5.30-8.00 am and 4.00-7.00 pm - conducted at points along the river and lakes which are accessed by the auxiliary boats. Breakfast served after the morning survey, and dinner served after the afternoon survey.
Ungulate, primate and game bird censuses - 7.00am – 3.00pm - conducted by walking along forest trails. Breakfast served before you leave, packed food provided during the census, and lunch provided upon your return.
Giant otter and manatee surveys - 7.00am – 3.00pm - conducted after breakfast. Breakfast served before you leave, packed food provided during the census, and lunch provided upon your return.
Dolphin and turtle surveys – 9.30am – 1.00pm - conducted from auxiliary boats by floating down river or by using engine at minimum velocity in lakes and channels. Surveys begin after breakfast and lunch provided upon your return.
Fish abundance and diversity surveys – 9.30am – 1.00pm - done by fishing in rivers and channels using auxiliary boats. Fishing begins after breakfast and lunch is provided upon your return.
Caiman surveys – 9.30pm – 1.00am - conducted using auxiliary boats. Surveys begin after dinner and evening briefings.
In this remote and isolated region of the Amazon, you will join scientists Richard Bodmer and Pablo Puertas on a fantastic boat trip assisting in their comprehensive survey of the area’s biodiversity including river otters, fish, and river turtles, macaws, peccaries, tapirs, deer, monkeys, and game birds.
From the Ayapua, a vintage boat from the Amazon's rubber boom period, you will work with a team of skilled Peruvian biologists to collect information about the wildlife populations in one of two river areas, Lago Preto or the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, depending on the season. Volunteers rotate between aquatic surveys for dolphins, manatees, giant river otters, fish, and river turtles from motorized canoes. You will also count macaws and conduct land surveys of peccaries, tapirs, deer, monkeys, and game birds.
At night, you will do spotlight surveys for caimans. With expedition staff, you will meet and talk to local people about their fishing, hunting, and conservation efforts, and practice some Spanish. In your recreational time, you can peruse the well-stocked library, enjoy a selection of Amazon-themed films on movie nights, or simply relax with a glass of wine on deck in one of the Earth's greatest wild places.
a day in a life of a volunteer
Daily schedules vary but you will carry out the following activities at some point during your trip at approximately the times indicated:Macaw surveys – 5.30-8.00 am and 4.00-7.00 pm - conducted at points along the river and lakes which are accessed by the auxiliary boats. Breakfast served after the morning survey, and dinner served after the afternoon survey.
Ungulate, primate and game bird censuses - 7.00am – 3.00pm - conducted by walking along forest trails. Breakfast served before you leave, packed food provided during the census, and lunch provided upon your return.
Giant otter and manatee surveys - 7.00am – 3.00pm - conducted after breakfast. Breakfast served before you leave, packed food provided during the census, and lunch provided upon your return.
Dolphin and turtle surveys – 9.30am – 1.00pm - conducted from auxiliary boats by floating down river or by using engine at minimum velocity in lakes and channels. Surveys begin after breakfast and lunch provided upon your return.
Fish abundance and diversity surveys – 9.30am – 1.00pm - done by fishing in rivers and channels using auxiliary boats. Fishing begins after breakfast and lunch is provided upon your return.
Caiman surveys – 9.30pm – 1.00am - conducted using auxiliary boats. Surveys begin after dinner and evening briefings.
volunteer travel - what's it all about?
Are you looking for an adventurous trip with a purpose, or on a gap year or career break? If you want to make a difference in some of the world’s most important conservation areas - and in community projects - then volunteer trips are for you! Volunteers tend to have a sense of adventure, and come from a range of different backgrounds and from all over the world. Edward Abbey said 'sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul'.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Research and conservation activities use an interdisciplinary approach to find a balance between the needs of the indigenous people and the conservation of the animals and plants in this region. The goals of this project are being implemented through action, promotion, research, and collaboration between a number of conservation groups, universities, government agencies, and concerned citizens. Project staff mainly comprise of local people.
Research results of the project are being used to help establish the Greater Yavari Protected Area, which will conserve over 1.5 million hectares of pristine Amazonian forest. They will also aid in the management of the two-million hectare Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. This is the largest protected area in Peru. Project data is helping the reserve implement appropriate management plans for wildlife species. This project is helping environmental agencies determine conservation management policy, both inside and outside of the protected areas. This expedition has an environmental policy and sustainable practices are implemented wherever possible. These include addressing issues of resources, waste, water, energy, biodiversity, together with adhering to ‘leave no trace’ principles. This project employs local people and supports the local economy. We are a not-for-profit international environmental organisation committed to conserving the diversity of life on earth and the world’s natural resources in order to meet the needs of current and future generations. On any one of our many projects around the world you are certainly not a tourist. You will be working as a field assistant helping world renowned scientists on real environmental projects, and learning about conservation issues. We give people the knowledge and the motivation to do something positive towards helping the environment, regardless of experience and background. The data that you will help to collect will be used to inform conservation decision makers around the world. Since 1971 our research has led to: We are aware that many people travel to their project by air and recognise the impact of this on the environment. In an effort to minimise this, we have teamed up with an organisation that offsets emissions from your flights by funding renewable energy, energy efficient and forest restoration projects around the world. As an environmental organisation we recognise that our day-to-day operations have an impact on the local, regional and global environment. We have an environmental policy which outlines our commitment to continuous improvements in our environmental performance. We have developed an Environmental Management System based on the guidelines and standards set out in ISO14001 and the Global Reporting Initiative, in order to measure our performance against agreed targets to deliver our environmental policy. These include: paper usage, recycling, responsible travel, carbon offsetting, green energy providers and many more environmental and social principles that form a continuous thread throughout our whole operations. Main image courtesy of Mary Rowe |
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