Our day today consisted of two very different excursions. One explored forest that never floods, the other went into forest that is underwater for three months or more each the year. For one, we were walking and the other in the comfort of the skiffs. Sunrise versus sunset. Forest focused versus bird focused. Both with a good diversity of mammals and both equally enjoyable.

After an early breakfast we entered the terra firme forest. This piece of primary forest has some massive trees and never floods. This type of forest has the highest diversity of any forest in the world, with as many as 300 different species of tree per hectare. The variety of trees, vines, and shrubs astounded us, and we especially enjoyed it from a series of bridges. Here, we were able to access another world, the forest off of the floor.  

Throughout our day we were treated to many different mammal sightings. Starting early with the smallest true monkey, the pygmy marmoset, and ending with an energetic group of squirrel monkeys, it was a diverse day for mammals. During breakfast we had gray dolphins around the ship, and later pink dolphins were feeding near a small stream. Bats were spotted sleeping on many trees over the water, and at sunset many were out catching a meal. On our walk, we also spotted a few groups of colorful saddleback tamarins. A real treat was a group of five monk saki. These large, bushy monkeys peered down upon us on our walk. And one skiff even spotted the largest rodent in the world, a capybara, swimming across the river.

Our afternoon excursion by skiff took us up a narrow blackwater river. Here, the diversity of trees is lower due to the harsh world of being submerged for many months of the year. This doesn’t hinder the birds however as kingfishers, hawks, and flycatchers were common. Rounding one bend we came upon a massive conglomeration of egrets. They were lined up shoulder to shoulder, obviously in a great fishing place. As the sun began to set, many took flight and went to roost in a tree, thus turning a green tree white!