Today we looked for the pigmy marmoset, the smallest monkey on the planet. These are fascinating creatures that inhabit the dense canopies of the Peruvian Amazon. Typically weighing around 3.5 ounces and measuring about five to six inches in length, these tiny monkeys are renowned for their adorable appearance and incredible agility. We had the great opportunity to find several of these monkeys while we walked in Yanallpa, a farming community that lives in harmony with these beautiful primates.
5/24/2025
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Delfin II
Yarapa River, Amazonas Village, Peru
Leaving Delfin II at 06:00 for our morning skiff ride, we explored the Yarapa River and monkeys were everywhere! We saw common wooly monkeys, monk saki monkeys, and common squirrel monkeys. We weren’t monkeying around! In addition to the monkeys there were woodpeckers galore! We photographed crimson-crested, yellow-tufted, and cream-colored woodpeckers as they were busily hammering away at trees and termite nests. Our afternoon was spent at Amazonas Village getting an introduction to life along the river. We enjoyed demonstrations of food preparation, basketmaking with palm fibers, and hand-dying with local plants to give the baskets vibrant colors. We also had an introduction to Minga Peru, a group serving 40 different communities in this area. Our evening was topped off with a toast to the beginning of the actual Amazon River, where the Marañon and Ucayali Rivers converge. Salud!
