Mary Ellen Rowe, Earthwatch staffer, has been on Macaws of the Peruvian
Amazon. We had a teleconference with people interested in the project -
this is a transcript of that session.
Macaws of the Peruvian Amazon
Other teleconference Q&A's
What to pack
You are encouraged to bring fast drying clothes, a camera and any other photography equipment needed, and a head lamp for moving around the lodge at night and for early morning preps for the salt lick.
Shorts and short-sleeved shirts are ok to wear around camp. In the field you will want to wear hat, long sleeves and pants and bug repellent (high in DEET) to protect against sun and biting insects. You may also want to bring a head net.
A simple digital watch is required so that you can monitor when birds arrive and depart from the salt lick and to time their activities. Nothing fancy (alarms, etc.) is required of this watch.
There are no laundry facilities, but you can wash items out in the sink. Therefore, you may wish to bring some bio-degradable detergent for this purpose and one of those fits-all-sinks plugs may come in handy as well.
Bring any snacks that you might like to have and to share. You may keep snacks in your room- just store them in air tight plastic bags to avoid pests getting into them. M&Ms do not melt...always a good thing!
Please bring comfortable footwear - in particular, something you wouldn't mind getting wet and dirty. Rubber boots can be provided on site, but you may want to bring your own if you have an uncommon size or would feel more comfortable with you own.
Travel
Project staff will meet the morning flights into Puerto Maldonado - please contact Erika at Rainforest Expeditions to arrange these flights:
Erika Berrospi Obregú
Account Executive
Rainforest Expeditions
T (511) 421-8347- Anexo 113
F (511) 421-8183
Av. Aramburu 166 4-B, Lima 18
http://www.perunature.com/
mailto:eberrospi@rainforest.com.peRainforest
Rainforest Expeditions arranges flights for Earthwatch volunteers, as they can be very difficult to get from outside of Peru. They can also arrange extra stays before and after the expedition and will confirm your departing flights while you are in the field.
Most flights from the US arrive late at night. There are however some "red-eye" flights originating in Miami that arrive early in the morning. When in Lima, you may wish to visit some of the following sites of interest:
Convento de San Francisco has amazing catacombs
National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History
Gold Museum
Plaza de Armas is a good spot to sit and watch life go by. This is also where you will find the Cathedral and the Government Palace.
Mira Flores is beautiful area to stay in Lima, but it is advised that you shouldavoid arriving there at rush hour.
Some hotel suggestions in Lima:
For a simple, low-budget back-packer-type place to stay, try: Hotel Espana - http://www.andeantravelweb.com/peru/hotels/lima/hostal_espana.html. It is basic but clean and in a good location. They have a roof top terrace which was really nice. It may not be a bad idea to try to make reservations in advance. This hotel is located in the center of Lima within walking distance of the Plaza de Armas.
The Sheraton in Lima is also good; it is close to the airport and easy to get to.
Please remember, you will need to pick up your baggage in Lima (or wherever you point of entry to Peru is) and re-check it to Puerto Maldonado when traveling through, regardless of what the airport staff tell you. You may wish to line your luggage with plastic in order to protect your belongings from anything that might be spilled on it. We suggest that you change a small amount of money in the airport (before you pick up you luggage) to pay for your taxi. There is a taxi booth right in the airport before you go outside. Be sure you know the fare before you get into the taxi!
The project site
The climate at the site is warm, even at night, during our winter. Lows at night are generally around 70F.
Swimming is permitted in the river, but you must be cautious due to the very strong currents - ask the staff before you go in. The drinking water is safe at all of the lodges.
Prior volunteers don't mention logging, but there have been some areas nearby that have been cleared for settlement.
The boat used to travel to and around the site is similar to a dug out canoe - long and narrow and is covered by a canopy. Along the beautiful journey up to the site, you can view many animals and see villagers going about their daily lives along the river.
Some health concerns
The WHO lists malaria as being present in Puerto Maldonado, but it is not believed to be at the research site. Please check with your doctor or travel clinic for what is best for you. Also, proof of yellow fever vaccination is required for entry into Puerto Maldonado. Please see http://www.who.int/ or http://www.cdc.gov/ for more information.