Propósito para el Año Nuevo? Actúa por el Clima./ Engineering around the world

Um tema que todos deveriamos nos preocupar, e compartir.

 

Propósito para el Año Nuevo? Actúa por el Clima.

How come nobody notice this before ?

Where are we going?Some of you will say “Oh boy, here comes that guy again.” I find it annoying too, to keep repeating myself, as though this were the only topic out there, or I didn’t know how to talk about anything else.

The truth is it’s that old question again: who came first, the chicken or the egg? It applies here in who’s responsible for the degradation of the Amazon, the tourist or the guide? I want to go out on a limb and say, “neither of them”.

The tourist does what he believes is right; at the end of the day what’s the harm in petting and cuddling a little monkey or a cute sloth? Apparently nothing.

ZPP

And the guide who traps the animal for the tourist to hold? He just wants to please his clients and guarantee his pay.

So…what’s to be done? It’s a vicious circle and there’s nothing to be done until the people who are responsible for protecting the nature take a serious stance. As long as ruthless ambition fed by curruption continues to exist, there’s nothing to be done.

We have to call attention to this; the Peruvian Amazon is being attacked to an almost irreversible extent.

It’s unbelievable!

In order to create a source of income for the Amazon river-dwellers, ASSENTAMEINTOS, the government authorises each Peruvian citizen to cut down a certain number (80) trees each year from the Tapiche river area.
For this purpose they’ve created a “Primary Production Zone” (ZPP) that is meant to be a resource base (!?!?!?) for the river dwellers.

As though this were enough to free them of any obligation and responsibilty to fight for the natural environment and the native inhabitants of the Amazon, they transfer onto each family the responsibilty to procure food and shelter, without any form of public transportation or any equivalent services.

But this is merely the tip of the iceberg; what happens from that point forward is jaw-dropping.

In order to cut down his 80 annual trees, the river dweller doesn’t need any type of documentation, or any kind of responsible environmental impact or reforestation plan etc.

So the river dweller cuts the trees and sells his “product” in Requena (oh, how it hurts me to refer to the Amazon as a product) and with only his ID card the wood becomes legalised.

But hold on a moment… the reality is that the river dweller was contracted by the same person who contracts various other river dwellers to do the same. This “facilitator” is the one who gives him gasoline to travel out, a chainsaw, and bait (this one hurts me even more), salt, a fishing net and bullets. Thus the whole family is hired to cut trees, and at the end of the job all the supplies are discounted from their fee at a much higher price than the market rate, leaving the family who cut, and transported the trees, working for 3 or 4 months, nearly consistently in debt to the facilitator. He lives in a state of almost slave labour.

So, the facilitator “facilitates” a number of families using the same system and coordinates the timber to arrive all together, at the same time, in Requena.

The facilitator, in turn, works for a Timber King (?!?!?!) who has multiple facilitators spread throughout the Tapiche Basin.

This timber is all “legalised” in Requena using the ZPP law. Soon it is sold as “legally traded” wood in Iquitos to millionaire plywood manufacturers (triply).

Internationally known furniture manufacturers, like IKEA, thus source the majority of their raw materials from the Peruvian Amazon.

Thus the major timber companies avoid the responsibility to manage any kind of sustainability plan, or any social or environmental responsibility at all for that matter, and they get cheap labour, to boot. It’s impossible to avoid the thought that someone else besides the timber baron is making a lot of money in this scheme.

And that forces the question: Who created this Primary Production Zone? What is the true intention of such a scheme?

It’s painful to not be able to do anything in the face of such a catastrophic social and ecological disaster. Corruption and impunity generate millions of dollars for some very few Peruvians, while those who call the Amazon home are destroying it in order to simply survive.

They cut the trees and I cut them in half !

(translation Portugues/English Elena Julia Greenlee, edit by David Crazyrainbow)

LIVING WITH MOTHER NATURE ( From Row the Amazon journey)

I’m back in Iquitos, it did seem much longer than the way out there. It was no easy decision to take. I get myself cheering for them and I’m happy to see their progress on the map.
I’m sure it will be now even more seen full for them to accomplish the journey. I was the translator in a foreigner land now they have to talk and understand the river, and Anton and Mark are doing it very well.
Hoping to still be heard using this platform, I would like to share some of our experiences with the Ribeirinhos (people that live on the riverside).
For several times during the trip we were craving for some cold drinks and on the Brazilian part of the journey very often there was a floating house in the middle of nowhere at some river curve, next to the stream, so it was very easy for us to stop and buy some fresh drinks. One time we were so lucky we got a watermelon and two pineapples that we kept for later days when there was nothing available on the riverside.
Anton always picked up a bag of candies and distributed with the great number of children (always many of them) then I try to engage the adults in some conversation to find out about their lives and the place.
In particular this place called Belo Horizonte, two pages (from the navy map) before Tefe. It was a Sunday, I didn’t know it, and all the kids were around playing and eating the sweeties that Anton just had handed to them. I asked if there was no school, the answer was “It is Sunday”.
“Ah! ok, there is a school here?”
“Sure there is.”
Like it was the most simple thing in the world. Well it is, but it in the Amazon there is a great lacking of schools in all the Amazon, also healthcare, transport. However this community looked like very prosperous for the Amazon standard. Curiosity led to the next question:
“What is the main source of income for this community ?”
“Ah, we have several ways of keeping the income in a regular way for the community! We have several lagoons where there is the Pirarucu (Arapaima gaigas), the biggest fish from fresh water, that we protect from the depredation and we do a regular management of those lagoons resources like Tambaqui and Matrichan. Last year we collect 132 fish (adult males) which generated over BRL 150.000 to our community. Also we do have Acai, from January till April, Buriti Palm, from May to August, also we do Corn, Plantain and Yuca.”
“Wow! How come?” I was very surprised and happy; I wanted to know how is possible such transformation.
“Well next to us is the greatest biological reserve, Mamirauá, and before the reserve was created we use to live from hunting and timber.”

Magic Friends

That was it! To be possible to run a reserve and protect the animals we do have to take care of the people first, creating alternative income and better life standards.
The community (later I found out that there are six other communities in same condition, all surrounding the biological reserve Mamiraua) had to change their way of living, and changing is not simple anywhere, and also there are always promises that haven’t been delivered from former government or organisations.
What was the magic formula?
Create jobs, helping to build the reserve infrastructure and keeping the people engaged
Train people for future positions in the reserve, from managing to park guards
Investigate the potential of the area by natural resources that can be commercialised
Create a market for those products

On the way to the Reserve

And most of all show to the people that there are better ways of living WITH nature.
With alternative income, with better life standards, schools, healthcare and better transport for the people and their products, even creating freezing ships to transport the fish production was necessary.
That was all created to keep a piece of the jungle safe from human impact.
This is a far away dream for me in Peru, where the authorities are still far away from that reality. But one thing is very clear: one cannot protect the Amazon if the people are left by their own luck.

Where can I hold a sloth ?

If someone came to your touristic agency and ask you that?

Sunbathing after a storm

It would be unethical to say that this is an anti-ecological and unnecessary attitudes?
What should I do, should I express myself or should I shut up and indirectly support the consequences of this kind of attitude?
It is amazing that we all know and we all have heard, but why we don’t practice it.
Every time that we( foreigners) show interest to see , touch or even just take a picture we are supporting the greatest evil on the jungle. THE WILD LIFE TRADE.
Behavior like that will motivate locals to go to the jungle and capture animals so they can have also a “ attraction “ and use as an income source charging people to hold it, take photos, and of course cuddle always using the argument “we save it from someone else” .
Animal should be in the jungle and naturally we wont be able to touch, sometimes not even a photo, maybe not even get to see it.
Then is when you need to have a very well-informed and responsible guide to teach you about the natural history, and entertain you with information about the local culture, natural history etc. There is always more than enough to be informed and learned of the rain forest.
That is why one should be careful when choosing with whom to go. Take your time, look around and ask questions. Look at the photos, do not accept your guide to show you animals in captivity or catch animals during your tour.
While we still treating wild life with no responsibility, we can not hope for better life for ourselves.
Writing this ( in a language that I’m not fluent) gives the feeling that I might talk to the wind. But I’m not the first and there will be more after me. Hope for the humans….

We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. – Elie Weisel …

Welcome to the Tapiche Reserve

As long as man continues to be the ruthless destroyer animated beings of the lower planes, not know health or peace. As men slaughtering the animals, they will kill each other. Whoever sows death and suffering can not reap joy and love. “- Pythagoras

Normally hard to see in nature

Compassion for animals is the noblest virtues of human nature. “- Charles Darwin
Among the brutality toward the animal and cruelty to man, there is one difference: the victim. “- Lamartine
When men learn to respect even the smallest being of creation, whether animal or vegetable, no need to teach you to love your neighbor. “- Albert Schwweitzer (Nobel Peace Prize – 1952)
“First it was necessary to civilize man in relation to man himself. Now is necessary to civilize man in relation to nature and animals.” – Victor Hugo
“Can anyone considering a living being as property, investment, a piece of meat, a “thing” without degenerating into cruelty towards that creature? “-Karen Davis, PhD (Prisoned Chickens, Poisoned Eggs, 1996)
“A man is only noble when you can feel pity for all creatures.” -Buddha (563? – 483? B.C.)
The civilization of people are evaluated by the way its animals are treated. “- Humboldt
The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated “- Mahatma Gandhi
Compassion for animals is intimately connected with goodness of character, and can be safely asserted that whoever is cruel to animals can not be a good man. “- Arthur Schopenhauer
“The animals exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans as well as non-blacks were made for whites or women for men.”-Alice Walker

Last week when we were at the nesting area at the Tapiche Reserve, I could see in the eyes of my friends the ecstasy of experiencing to see the Nature with all its harmony in front of them.
Thousand and thousands of birds of different species living and breeding on the same space, sharing protection.
Then we start wondering what this place is all about.
A nesting area like on that proportion will hatch thousand of birds, that will attract predators, Birds of prey, Reptiles :different types of snakes, constrict and not, lizards and iguanas, and of course Cayman.
All this birds will produce all lot of dung that will fall on the water (the nesting area is in a flooded forest) feeding the fishes, that will attract Pink Dolphin, etc .

the alternative income sorce for the native comunity

Nothing this would be possible if there was no extreme measure taken, Closure, no hunting and no logging allowed.
The speed that the nesting area recovered was incredible, three years ago there was nearly nothing left result of the poaching on the egg for trade.
With the alternative income generated by the visitors, the locals didn’t hunt any longer and the jungle took back its space in an amazing speed. Now every time I go to the area, it is like the paradise opens its doors.
We are merely apprentice and should enjoy the nature as it is.
Wild life in the wild. Is not logical ?

It is too hard to see wild life in the Amazon (finding the Red Uakari Monkey)

Once upon a time, I was guiding in te Brazilian Pantanal and often i have headed and repeated myself to others: ” The Amazon is great but if you want to see wild life one has to go to the Pantanal” Born and raised out there, I blindly believed on every word of it. Went to regular Jungle trips, around Manaus, Alta Floresta, and I did fall in love with it, tha Amazing Cristalino Reserve with the Brazil Nuts trees was made a change in my life, silent giants witness of the hundreds of years of natural history.
And it was a growing passion that for some reason would not catch my heart definitely, even I went to several places to the jungle, Brazil,. Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, but no jungle could beat the words “It too hard to see wild life in the jungle, one should get happy with some insects and birds” .
Finally three years ago life brought me to Iquitos and to the Tapiche River area. Wile i was wondering around that area, visiting “riberenhos” (people that live on river side) saw in their kitchen, the rare Giant Armadillo, Tapir, Wolly Spider monkey, Howler monkeys, among other small species. BUt one day I saw something that was stunning (unfortunately also in a kitchen) A Red Uakari Monkey, a monkey that in Brazil lives only in its own Reserve The National Reserve Mamirauá, created just for the protection of this specie. And here in Peru, founded “officially” only on the Tamishiyaco / Tahuayo Reserve. In several visits to this reserve we “saw” desapearing among the trees once and that was it.
Well that was still amazing fact for me, for very first time I saw that monkey not in cage and then started my adventure to find the Red Uakari monkey.
Decided that was the area that I was going to be and live. But it was a difficult and nearly impossible task.
There were dozens of lumber jacks, hunters etc all conspiring against my wishes. Those people are not easily convinced otherwise and there is big money involved in timber.

Created the reserve involved, first getting documentation(that theoretically should be easy), than getting the land protected that is not easy bec ause people need to eat and the timber industry in peru takes lots advantage of that( that is a subject for another blog>).

Resting and wondering..

Making it short, After one year we made trails, passing through all different habitats, and specially giving the local people an alternative way of income, they stop hunting and timbering, but there was no sight of the Red Uakari Mokey. 2 years, and we start seeing incredible sights of the Red howlers, Saki Monkey, Brown Capuchin Monkey and White Capuchin, Satlle Back Tamarin, White Lipped Tamarin but no red Uakaris, Segundo( the local uncharged of the reserve) reported some brief sights, I didn’t see it. I getting frustrated after 2 years i had no sight of them.

Rare specie !

last December with 3 Kids from New york that were doing an independent documentary about the rain forest, I finally saw a among the threes for a split second a Red face that lighted my hearth on fire and vanished away.

Than came the flood and Nick a fellow friend staff from the Loki hostel Miraflores in Lima came to visit the reserve and guess what he saw it for about 20 minutes the Monkeys and again in another day.
After that it became common to see them. and now every time i go out i see them.
But we do not see only them we see 4 -6 species of monkeys every time we go out, and became so common that now the visitors do not believe that they are rare in Peru due their habitat disturb and destruction.

They do exist and there are lots of them.

Now we see the results of at some point fanatic dedication for the protection fo this land,, the amount of wild life is increasing with such rate that is overwhelming.

And yes, I have the answers for the Pantanal saying:
” The Amazon has as much wild life and lots to show, The experience at the Tapiche reserve shows that The nature can recover , but needs attention and care, if we do not look after it will all disappear and before it disappear we wont even have a chance to see it .

I’m not a good photographer, but along this year I have had sights of wild life that I don’t care if i dont have pictures, I have it carved into my hearth.
Now anyone that wants to see lots of wild life, don’t need to go to the soft “zoo” or fake sanctuary around Iquitos. If you have up to 4 days, AND if you are willing to travel several hours 6-8 in a speed boat, than Come to the Tapiche Reserve for a life time experience in a pristine Jungle with amazing scenery and abundant wild life.

Education is necessary !

Visitors and native guide

Living in Iquitos , surrounded by Rain Forest, wild life and multi cultural indigenous ethnic groups makes me feel how blessing is the opportunity to experience this.

To be able to see animals still in their habitat, to learn from the natives how to make the handcrafts, their legends, culture and tradition is more than I ever wish from the rain forest.

Many of us come through without knowing that our presence might have a positive or negative impact in the nature direct or indirectly.   It has a lot to do with the way that is sold always people holding animals, birds etc.

The great part of the wild life trade in Iquitos is supported by the Attractions ( jungle lodges, animals “sanctuary” even healing retreat centers) that are buying animals on regular basis to show to the tourist , cuddle, pet, etc.

Eating Paiche or Cayman *Central and South America ( Crocodiles are in Africa, Asia and Oceania, Alligators in North America) We have to start practice the Responsible tourism as seller and try to educate/ inform the visitors regards our reality.

He doesn’t sell bush meat !

Responsible Tourism

• Responsible Tourism is about the legacy and the consequences of tourism – for the environment, local people and local economies.
• Responsible Tourism does not only take place in protected natural environments – Any tourism business, whether located in a thriving metropolis, a desert, rural village, sub-tropical island, medieval town – can be a Responsible Tourism operation.

So in a daily basis our visit can be responsible, we don’t have to try a endanger species or a wild animal, just imagine if e very tourist wants to try, how many animals will die so we can TRY it.

Avoid taking picture holding animals, tell you guide you don’t want to capture anything, but yes you want to learn as much is a possible, you will be helping the wild life, the guide will be forced to learn more and your tour will have better quality.

 

“Responsible Tourism is tourism witch:

• minimises negative economic, environmental and social impacts

• generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the well-being of host communities

• improves working conditions and access to the industry

• involves local people in decisions that affect their lives and life chances

• makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage embracing diversity

• provides more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues

• provides access for physically challenged people

• is culturally sensitive, encourages respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence

• is integrate in the local ecosystem”

Responsible tourism is fast becoming a global trend. Operators, destinations and industry organisations in South Africa, the United Kingdom, United States, the Gambia, India, Sri Lanka, are already practicing Responsible Tourism, and this list is growing.

Primary forest

The Green Track is pioneer in Responsible  tours using in Iquitos as platform the Green Track Hostel to inform the visitor regards the positive actions one can do in Iquitos and on the field we have the Tapiche Ohara Reserve as a great example of social and environmental conscious business

Discover Nature at Tapiche Ohara’Reserve – Deep Inside the Peruvian Amazon

The Tapiche Ohara Reserve

Spider Monkey

The Tapiche Ohara  Reserve is composed of several types of lowland Amazonian forest;  igapó, varzea, and terra firme.

At Tapiche Ohara Reserve, we want to share the joy of discovering the rain forest. Located in a pristine area of the Amazon jungle, the Reserve is home to an amazing abundance of wild life in diverse habitats. An authentic, off-the-beaten-path jungle experience awaits you at Tapiche Ohara Reserve. Here you will find magnificent scenery in a peaceful setting, rain forest soundscapes, comfortable quarters, and a high standard of service at a reasonable price.

Location

Accessible only by waterway, the 1540 hectare Reserve is situated 404 km up river from Iquitos, Peru. The day long journey into the jungle takes you through increasingly remote areas, away from touristic centers, and into territory seldom traveled by outsiders. The trip from Iquitos to the Reserve includes navigating up the Amazon, Ucayali, and Tapiche Rivers.

The Reserve is an exceptional storehouse of Amazon jungle biodiversity. The Reserve comprises an area within the Amazon Basin where several types of lowland Amazonian forests, including igapo, varzea, and terra firme, can be found in close proximity. This is a major contributing factor to the incredible biodiversity that is found in this geographic area. Among the fauna found here are Pink River Dolphins, Manatee, Jaguar, Ocelot, Giant Otter, Red Huakari Monkey, Paiche (the worlds largest freshwater fish), and an amazing variety of birds, amphibians, reptiles, palms, floating flora, and old-growth trees.

Scientists, photographers, and nature lovers will revel in the opportunity to see and study medicinal plants, blooming orchids, native fruits, and plants used for indigenous crafts.We believe in preservation of habitat, local culture, and promotion of responsible tourism.  At the reserve there are no pets  and besides fishing we do not catch/ capture any sort of animals for any reason.

Giant Lupuna

The Reserve is located in primary rain forest and it is our mission to coexist in the jungle environment without disturbing natural processes. We also have ongoing conservation efforts focusing on saving the water turtle known locally as the Taricaya (Podocnemis unifilis), which can live to 60 years of age.

How we do it .

Our groups are maximum of 4 plus native and naturalist bilingual guide to maximize the chances of wild life viewing and reduce the environmental impact.

We design our sightseeing programs to cover several types of habitats within a short distance. Guided activities have been developed to allow you to see as much as possible during your  visit.  While experiencing ayahuasca is a popular touristic activity in the Peruvian  Amazon, we do not perform ayahuasca ceremonies at the Reserve. Our goal is to share nature, wild life and local knowledge of the jungle.

We employ local guides who have been trained with professional guide skills such as conducting field groups, bird watching, and ethical tourism practices.  Beside fishing, we do not kill/capture any animal, we don’t have pets from the jungle as we believe they should be free.

Rainbow Boa

We have walking trails and educational programs made to show different aspects of the complex Amazon ecosystem. We also make every effort to minimize the cutting of new trails which often occurs with expedition tourism. This practice scares away wild life in the vicinity and damages the landscape.  We are deep into the jungle so there is no need for expedition type of trip because the logistics of camping are not conducive to maximizing the jungle experience..

Tapiche Ohara’s Reserve is deep inside primary rain forest. As conservators, we have a commitment to responsible conservation practices. Moreover, we continually endeavor to expand our conservation efforts while providing low impact tourism to the Peruvian Amazon.

 

Ih se que se dañe !

 No tenemos mucho tiempo por delante de todos modos, antes de diciembre  esto todo se ha ido y sólo algunas personas muy inteligentes y  elegidas quedaran.

   Así que, ¿por qué preocuparse en ir a trabajar, pagar las cuentas, reciclaje cosas, ¿por qué escribir esto …?? 

Vivimos en una ciudad que quiere promocionarse como destino turístico y atracción internacional. Hola, el Amazonas (el mismo que floaded 3/4 de la ciudad) es una maravilla natural es donde se vá el esgoto de Iquitos 

Y parece que lo único que pasa es  la explotación del turista tanto como sea posible. Además de algunas pocas Iniciativas , que están lejos de para compensar los daños causados por estafadores, shaman charlatanes , la estafa cambio de dinero que todos sabem, pero nadie hace nada y la organización turistical de nuestras autoridades locales que dejan el turista por su propia suerte con los conductores de mototaxis que persiguen el turista desde su llegada y hasta la salidas de hoteles etc.

Nuestros “Puertos”, si podemos llamarlo así, son tan buenos como un basurero, es difícil creer que una ciudad como Iquitos que se promociona como la mas grande ciudade sin acesso por carretera, y es verdad, sólo tiene acceso por el agua o en avión), no tiene una sola dicente puerto.

Simplemente, ya que es, para verlo, también es imposible creer en toda la “charla”,

Pero escuchamos los políticos que hablan de trenes futuristas, Techo Digno (WTF), me encantaría ver a la gente por una vez  demandar lo que tiene derecho como ciudadano o talvez como seres humanos.

Parece ser que acabamos de aprender de la basura de los otros, como la música de mierda que viene desde Brasil hasta aquí (Calipso, Dejavu y otros). Pero no son lospuertos con muelles flotantes, el barco de carga separados de la gente. De ciudades queson un cuarto del tamaño de Yurimaguas, por ejemplo.

  Bueno, el mundo va a terminar de todos modos ..

 

 

 

 

Why do we care !

 We dont have much time left anyway, by December this will all be gone and just some very smart and choosen people will be left.

  So why do we boghter going to work, paying bills, recicling things, why do I boghter writing this…??? Who gives a ….

We live in a city that wants to promote itself as touristic atraction and International destination.  Hey the Amazon ( the same one that floaded 3/4 of the city ) is a Natural Wonder and the suer goes from Iquitos directely into it…

And it seems that the only thing that is taken care of is to exploit the tourist as much as is possible. Besides very few initiatives, that are far to small to compensate the damages done by Con artists,shaman charlatans, the money change scam that is so knowed but no one does anything and tof course bad organization of our local tourim authorities letting the tourist by their own luck with the mototaxi drivers that chace the tourist upon their arrival and at the hotel doors etc..

Our “Harbours” ,if we can call it so, are as good as a garbige pit, is hard to believe that a city like Iquitos (that claims , and is true, only accessed by water or plane), dont have a single dicent harbour. 

Simply as it is,to see it, is also impossible to belive in all the bullshit,

But we hear politicians talking about Futuristic trains, Techo digno (wtf), I would love just to see people once demand what is they wright as citzen or maybe as humans.

It seems that we just learn from junk  from the others, like the crap music that comes from Brazil  to here ( Calipso,  Dejavu and others). But not  the harbours with floating piers, the cargo boat separeted from people. From citys that are a half of the size of Yurimaguas for example. 

 Well the world is going to end anyways..

 

One year with no death in the Jungle ?

Is that possible ? This month we celebrate one year that no animal has been murdered and no tree has been cut.

 And the people local to the area has increased their quality of life without having to change drastically their habits.

That would not be possible without a total commitment of a German citizen that choose Peru to start his Rain forest project. ” A private reserve” .

That would have been very easy if in the land weren’t dozens of lumber jacks and hunters that were installed there because  that particular area provides a excellent source or jungle products , that once harvested were sold or exchanged on a large population center. Jungle “products ”  like centenary tress were sold for Nuevos  Soles 40-50 ( US $ 15) Monkeys, Turtles, for Nuevos Soles 15 (US $ 8). and etc .  Most of the time just enough for them to buy supplies for the next trip into the jungle completing the destruction circle forced by the unemployment and total lack of attention of the local government.

This man Gert Weispfenning was decide to changed that situation even only that would be a LOCAL solution, but at least someone has to start it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today we( myself and the locals to the Tapiche  area) celebrate happily one year of no hunting and no tree cutting on the Tapiche Reserve. The locals have showed and taught  how to understand the jungle  and Gert has been promoting the Responsible Eco tourism  and given them income enough so they do not need to exchange the jungle x supply in the city. Besides that promoted among the locals the protection of species like the Taricaya water turtle, completed with great success with more than 1600 young water turtle been released into back to the nature this year.

Initiatives like that has to be honored and followed

here is a brief description of the Tapiche Ohara Reserve

The Tapiche Ohara Reserve

The  Tapiche Ohara Resere is comprised of several types of lowland Amazonian forest;  igapó, varzea, and terra firme.

This is one of the few areas in the Amazon Basin where these forest types can be found in close proximity, and no doubt this is a major factor in creating areas incredible biodiversity.

Among the animals found here are Pink River Dolphins, Manatee, Jaguar, Ocelot, Margay, Giant Otter, Red Huakari Monkey and Paiche (the worlds largest freshwater fish), and an amazing variety of birds (over 700 species are known in Loreto), including the Harpy eagle.

The Tapiche Ohara Reserve is an exceptional storehouse of biodiversity. This area stretches along the Tapiche River for 1540 hars,east of the Ucayali  River  and within the reserve there are four different springs which tributes into the Tapiche.

Also inside of the property there are several onbox and lagoons some with considerable large size, like the Garza Cocha

Besides the Tapiche, that is a black river, all of the others are full of floating  inorganic material,  which is generally typical to Andean formations, not typical to the  Amazon rainforest.  These factors along with the Pleistocene Refugia and river dynamics probably all contribute to this exceptionally diverse assemblage of primates.

As conservation efforts focus on biodiversity and species endemism, we must also consider the endemic nature of each species such as the Red Huakari Monkey, Harpy eagle and the Manatee.  In fact the exceptionally diverse area of the Tapiche Ohara Reserve is itself an endemic occurrence.

The Tapiche Reserve is located about 404 Km away fro Iquitos and by 11 hours speed boat or 45 minuts in waterplain only

A sanctuary of wild life and a future icon as example of responsible way of Turism.