Expedition Anaconda - Volunteers Needed!

       This June we are putting together an expedition aimed specifically at studying one of the most unique and mysterious ecosystems on Earth - the Floating Forest. In four years of study we still know very little about this strange habitat other than the fact that there seems to be no others like it, and that it is dominated by an abnormally high concentration of anacondas.
       Anacondas are endangered in the surrounding areas - killed by people out of fear and also because of habitat destruction. On the expedition this June we will be focusing exclusively on understanding how these giant snakes make use of the floating forest ecosystem. This will involve long hours of observation, tracking, as well as capturing and measuring any individual anacondas found. In particular there is a massive female well over 20ft in length which lives there. We will be attempting to locate her because she may be a record breaker and will help us not only to understand the ecosystem, but also to bring attention to our mission of protecting her home.
       Joining this expedition you will be up to your neck in Amazon-adventure, and amidst the coils of one of our planet's most fascinating species. But we need more volunteers so tell your friends and contact us to sign up! 

Volunteers protecting wildlife

     During our May and June expeditions in 2011 volunteers encountered issues with poaching. Men were entering the reserve to cut wood and hunt bushmeat - two activities that could severely harm the delicate ecosystem.

  Tamandua volunteers photographed and documented these activities and even came into direct contact with the poachers on more than one occasion. When enough information had been gathered local authorities were brought in to deal with the problem and send a message to would poachers. Since that time our preserve has been hunter and logger free - allowing the millions of species there to survive in safety! This awesome work would not be possible without our dedicated expedition members, people like you! 

    As we recruit for June and July expeditions we hope to continue working with travelers who want to be a part of helping to protect this incredible ecosystem.

Camera Traps Result in Images and New Knowledge

During last month's expedition, volunteers from India together with Tamandua Staff began testing our newly acquired camera traps in the jungle. They placed the cameras, which sense heat and motion, on the outskirts of a salt lick and waited. Salt licks are crucial deposits of sodium in the earth which numerous species of bird, mammal, and even insect depend on to maintain health. In the past we were able to study colpas through looking at the tracks left by animals in the clay - or by waiting for long periods of time to observe which species came.

With camera traps however we get a clear window into their world! What we found was dozens of species all sharing the space. Everything from agoutis to giant anteaters - and even howler monkeys, ocelots and jaguar!

In our upcoming expeditions camera traps will be a major asset to the research we do! More on the wildlife and photos coming soon!

Dates for Spring Trips!

This spring we are launching two expeditions each with a separate focus - the first will be an in depth study of the floating forest ecosystem and the anacondas that live there, the second will be a mammal survey using observation and camera trapping.

We are currently taking applicants!

A New Year and a New Mission!

Over the years Tamandua has had tons of awesome expeditions and encounters with wildlife, with volunteers from all over the world joining our team. Today there are thousands of acres of rainforest protected because of these expeditions, a major victory. But we still have work to do. The land we protect is only protected when we have volunteers there working and studying, and this year, 2012, marks the start of the next step. We are going to start trying to have a constant presence - that means having groups year round. This means continuing to protect the three locations we currently have, as well as the giant old growth trees, the jaguars, giant anteaters, tapirs, and massive anacondas and millions of other organisms that call them home from poaching and habitat destruction. It also will allow us to continue to work with our indigenous staff to ensure that these unique areas stay protected forever. We are taking things to the next step, and its a very exciting time!

In the next few weeks we are going to be announcing our summer expeditions dates, starting in late June we are going to be going deeper into the floating forest than ever before, and in July we are making an epic return to the Las Piedras Research Station!

More updates coming soon!

Final Dates for May/June 2011 Expedition!

Just today I made my bi-weekly call to my friends in Infierno and confirmed the final dates for the upcoming expedition in May 2011. The expedition will begin on May 15 and last until June 10th.


















On the 15th volunteers will be arriving to Puerto Maldonado airport where I will meet and escort everyone back to the hotel for the night. We can spend the time getting to know one another and preparing for the boat journey the following morning. At 6am on the 12th we embark on our journey into the jungle where we will be living for the duration of the trip. Once at the sesearch station we will begin executing our projects and studying and exploring the surrounding rainforest, adding to the ongoing census which Tamandua and Saona are undertaking of the local flora and fauna.

Along with a longer duration for the expedition, another exciting aspect of the upcoming trip will be our planned journey to the Rio Las Piedras. Traveling for two days by river we will be able to access some of the most remote and pristine rainforest on earth, and have the opportunity to view some truly incredible natural spectacles. One of the greatest of these is the Piedras macaw colpa, where dozens of red and green, as well as scarlet macaws can be seen feeding and socializing on the exposed clay and salt deposits there. Also we will be exploring the secluded beauty of a pristine tributary where numerous rare and endangered species exist, among them black caiman, giant river otters, freshwater stingrays and jaguar. During this part of the expedition we will be camping each night, and living a truly adventurous five days in some of the most remote and beautiful wilderness anywhere on earth.

It is looking like a truly incredible trip, and both myself and the staff in Infierno are looking forward
to getting started!

If you are interested in joining please email me at Paul@tamanduajungle.com

The Junglekeeper