We continued today our expedition on the Upper Amazon in Peru. Early in the morning at around 6:30 a.m. we went out to explore Belluda Caño by skiffs. It rained constantly and steadily. This drizzle was a reminder that we were in one of the wettest ecosystems of our planet. Despite the rain we saw several bird species and a couple of three-toed sloths.
We found a new monkey species for our list as well, one of my favorites: the night owl monkeys. These unusual Neotropical primates have huge nocturnal eyes that give them a rather comical appearance. The monkeys were seen checking on us with curiosity from a hollow tree.
Back aboard we had our full buffet breakfast. While in the dining room we could see the activity that was taking place outside. Many small dugout canoes with “ribereños” fishing. Faster speedboats transporting people and several cargo boats were seen as part of the normal day in the area.
Later in the morning I gave a talk about the primates of the reserve, and we had a class of origami towel folding! After lunch we had a fruit exhibition.
Finally in the early afternoon we arrived to our destination: El Dorado River. This name evokes the famous story of the mythical city made of gold. We found an even better natural richness that equals and surpasses gold and more! Our skiffs took us to explore this beautiful river and some inner lagoons. We found squirrel monkeys, kingfishers, black-collared hawks, several three-toed sloths, wattled jacanas, and horned screamers all in spectacular surroundings.
We came back covered with darkness. We could see many bats flying around us and a couple of spectacled caimans along the riverbanks.
The day ended with live music played by some of our talented Delfin II crewmembers. The singing and tapping to the rhythm of South American music provoked happy faces in all of us.
