Messages from Manu. |
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So I knew the internet situation was going to be poor, but I don’t think I was fully aware of just how remote I was going to be. Every morning upon waking to the calls of Howler Monkeys and Yellow-crowned Parrots I have to remind myself of the reality that is so hard to take in. For those of you who don’t know I am currently living at a research base in the buffer zone of Manu National Park, Eastern Peru. It’s known to be one of the most biodiverse places on earth, not only providing refuge for a myriad of bird, mammal and plant species, but also for numerous uncontacted tribes living in the north of the park. As you can imagine with such a remote location the journey here was quite an experience. I can only describe it as a mix between Ice-road truckers, Jurassic Park and a Top Gear Challenge. We left Cusco before sunrise, passing through the community of Oropesa, and slowly making our way along increasingly narrow roads into the high Andes. After 8 hours driving we arrived at Sapan Sachayoc, a lodge located in the cloud forest - an ideal habitat for Peru’s National Bird, Cock-of-the-Rock. Some patience was required but after not too long we were graced with the presence of three of these beautifully exotic yet comical birds. Our journey continued to Atalaya the following morning. This village marked the furthest point we could go in our vehicle; essentially the end of the road. Our belongings were offloaded and transferred onto a motorised canoe for the remainder of the journey. With every minute passed we entered further in the Amazon, and further away from modern society. A thought which was refreshing and scary at the same time. The initial fears are still valid, and reinforced daily. Whether its a venomous snake sighting in camp, or a researcher becoming ill with a parasite, the trials and tribulations of jungle life are always surfacing, but almost two weeks after arriving this small corner of Peru is starting to feel more like home by the day. The centre I’m based at is nothing like I’ve ever experienced. Every person is filled with so much knowledge and infectious passion about their specialist topics, sharing their latest findings in presentations most evenings. It’s a hive of activity both day and night and one things for sure, never in my life did I think I’d be having candle-lit salsa lessons in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest.
Anyway, my wifi is about to end so I shall leave it there.
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Please note - this is no gap yah: lost in parahh Gen Z blog. This is rather a platform to document the next 12 weeks of my off-grid existence, 200km east of Cusco at the neo-tropical buffer of Manu National Park. One of the last places in the world with totally isolated and uncontacted tribes, known as the Mashco-Piro people, unaware of modern life and the extent of human civilisation. A landscape frozen in time. South America is a treasure chest of evolutionary stories, with the early Cenozoic era boasting species cool enough to rival even the coolest of dinosaurs. My favourite being the Phorusrhacids, colloquially known as "terror birds" which, prior to the Great American Interchange, dominated the jungle scene. A 100% carnivore, 10ft tall ostrich (of sorts) capable of running 60km/hr is definitely the stuff of nightmares. I feel oddly prepared for the vigour and demands of the rainforest; to be honest I think months behind the tills of John Lewis could prepare you for any demand going. Seriously though, the tropical rainforest is truly a risky place. Rafting the croc-infested waters of the Zambezi last summer now seems like an afternoon punting on the Cam in comparison to the upcoming challenges of Amazonia. "Ants are found everywhere. Be warned that many are arboreal (including the nasty bullet ant) and may literally drop from the trees and attack." I think it's fair to say that most neotropical resources don't sugarcoat, after all blissful ignorance is perhaps your greatest enemy in the jungle. Despite having the most painful sting known to man, the bullet ant is the least of your worries when venturing into the unknown. Highly hemotoxic and cytotoxic snakes, disease-carrying mosquitos and prowling jaguars lurk behind every corner. Exciting. The importance of neotropical research in this corner of the world cannot be understated. With a 50% decline in global biodiversity over the last 40 years I cannot stress more the need for direct, frontline conservation. I needn't go into this any further at present, but I hope that over the next 3 months you will follow my blog, with interest, to learn more about the wonders of this unique biome - its issues, and the solutions needed to secure a better future for our planet.
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