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About 2 hours on the
river brought us to the Pantiacolla Lodge. Like most "lodges" along this
route, Pantiacolla is part of one of many private reserves run by NGO's
and environmenal groups. The Department of Madre de Dios has more protected
lands than any other department in Peru. The lodge had huts on raised platforms
with roofs, but no windows or bathrooms. The showers were in common buildings,
But the beds were comfortable and the food was good. We slept in bunks
under mosquito netting. The first hour after our arrival we were treated
to a chorus of howler monkeys. The sound was so amazing that I ran around
with the shotgun mike recording them and never bothered to take a picture.
On our walk before dinner we also saw two small species of monkeys called
Tamarins. One was the Emperor Tamarin--seldom seen at his lodge. The Tamarins
are tiny and stay in the tree tops--binoculars are essential on this trip.
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Pantiacollas grounds.
The red howlers were in the trees not 50 feet behind the huts. Their calls
are generally heard at morning. The afternoon's session was brought on
by the intrusion of another group that were calling from a few hundred
meters away.
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Pedro is a tame Macaw
and one of the few blue and yellows that we saw.
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The next morning's walk
brought another group of howlers that I was able to get on film. The jungle is
indescribable.
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NEXT
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