Tambopata would be the final stop on my whirlwind tour of Peru and the Amazon.
“Tambopata” is derived from two Quechua words that mean “inn” or “place of accommodation” (tambo) and “high point” (pata). The reason why the rather flat, lowland rainforests of Tambopata received this name is not forthcoming but may reflect Andean foothill areas of Tambopata that were visited by Incan peoples.
The Tambopata National Reserve is just over 1,000 square miles of preserved land in Southeastern Peru. The Reserve has many diverse habitats, including sections of lowland and foothill rainforest, riverine forest, and oxbow lakes. It also connects cloud forests at higher elevations and wet savannahs. Tambopata Reserve is crossed by three rivers: the Malinowski, the Tambopata, and the Madre de Dios.
Because of the Reserve’s protected status and secluded location, it is incredibly biodiverse. The reserve hosts over 1,200 species of butterflies, 170 species of mammals, 630 species of birds, and 1,200 species of plants. In fact, this reserve and surrounding region are one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. The Reserve and the surrounding area also have their own cultural background serving as the original home of the Ese Eja people.
The Ese Eja are the indigenous people of current day Bolivia and Peru whose ancestral land is located along the Tambopata River in the Madre de Dios region.
Day 13:
After a short flight from Lima to Puerto Maldonado, I visited the office of my tour company for a short briefing of what to expect on this next and final leg of my Amazonian adventure. After approximately an hour’s drive to the pier, I boarded a motorized boat that whisked me off to Tambopata National Park. As this was the Amazon were were navigating, of course, there were animal sightings along the way. We saw an entire family of capybara on the banks of the river. At first, I could not identify them. My guide alerted me to the fact that there were five of them “just ahead”. For the life of me, I could NOT see these animals then all of a sudden there they were. They were so camouflaged in the red mud and were sitting so motionless my eyes had not detected them.
The capybara or greater capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is the largest living rodent and is native to South America. Adult capybaras measure between 42 to 54 inches in length and stand 20 to 24 inches tall. They typically weigh between 77 and 146 pounds with the females being the heavier of the sexes. Jaguars, pumas, and caimans are their predators on land and in the water. Anacondas, forest foxes, small cats, and birds of prey (eagles, caracaras, vultures) target young capybaras.
Terra Verde Lodge
The first stop was Terra Verde Lodge. The grounds were beautifully manicured. The entrance to the main area was lined by flowering shrubs that kept butterflies in a constant frenzy. The constant stream of butterflies gave the place almost a magical appearance. Once I got settled into my room at the lodge I headed out to explore.
Early on one of the trails, the “greeting committee” crossed our path. A collared peccary came out of the underbrush onto the path. This one was habituated as it had been around humans for so long. Apparently, he loved back scratches . We saw a variety of insects, fungi and interesting trees before returning to the lodge for the evening. We would have an extremely early start the next day.
Day 14:
Tambopata Chuncho Macaw Reserve
It was pitch black at 4:00 AM when we rose to make our way to the Chuncho Macaw Reserve. The clay lick, also called a collpa, is the largest on earth with hundreds of macaws and parrots gathering daily to eat clay.
Collpa derives from the Quechua word “Qolpa” and means salty land.
Why eat clay?
The clay provides the birds with essential minerals like calcium, iron, and sodium, nutrients not found in a parrot’s plant-based diet. Eating clay can help the parrots consume more toxic plants when food is scarce. The clay binds to toxins in their system protecting them.
We traveled an hour an a half by boat to an inlet on the Tambopata River where we viewed the salt lick from the adjacent shoreline. We spied the vibrant colors of macaws in the canopy and flying overhead. Shortly, after sunrise, the atmosphere shifted as shrieks and caws filled the air. Dozens of green mealy parrots descended on the salt lick from the trees above.
Macaws are the largest flying parrots and can be found in a dazzling array of colors from vivid yellow, hyacinth blue, emerald green, and ruby red. There are 15 species of macaw that inhabit Central and South America. Rarely found alone, they are a monogamous species, mating for life. They also prefer to raise a ruckus in groups.
A group of parrots is called a pandemonium.
The term pandemonium translates to “wild and noisy” – how appropriate! They may also be called a company, which refers to a colorful group of parrots that resemble a military parade.
Fun facts about parrots:
1. They have a remarkably long lifespan compared to similarly sized birds and mammals. Most parrots have an average lifespan of 30 years but some species can live up to 80 years or more. According to a research article published by The Royal Society, there is a correlation between the size of a parrot’s brain and how long it lives. The larger the brain, the longer the parrot is likely to live, as a larger brain makes these birds more adaptable to their environment.
2. Parrots eat with their feet. Parrots have extremely strong legs and feet that they use to grasp and hold food up to their beak while they eat. The way that parrots eat with their feet is similar to how humans eat with their fingers.
3. Parrots are one of a few animals that can mimic human speech. Crows, mynah birds, and ravens can mimic the human voice, however, parrots are the best at producing clear words.
4. Parrots are considered omnivores and have a broad diet that consists of various types of fruits, nuts, seeds, meat, and insects. They also consume plant-based foods, including leafy vegetation and vegetables.
5. Parrots are capable of forming loving relationships with one another, similar to humans. When a female and male parrot form a special bond, they tend to stay together for life, even outside of breeding seasons.
After the salt lick, I returned to the lodge to pack up and head to my next and final destination on this journey: Sandoval Lake.
Sandoval Lake
Dubbed “the Machu Picchu of the Amazon” by Peruvians, Lake Sandoval , simply put, is stunning. This wildlife-rich 413 acre oxbow lake is the jewel in the crown of Tambopata. Rimmed by 100-foot tall Mauritia palms, this area serves as home to hundreds of macaws and three species of monkeys.
To get to the lake, we took to the waters of the Madre de Dios River. After approximately thirty minutes we had arrived at our next station where we met our naturalist…and a caiman.
Intro to the “rabble rousers”
Our naturalist, Iris, collected us from our boat driver and escorted us on a two-mile walk to the shore of the lake. As we walked along a raised walkway to our boat, we heard a ruckus overhead as palm fronds floated to the ground. As we peered into the canopy, we noticed a contingent of squirrel monkeys flitting from tree to tree pausing only to jostle each other in a treetop game of tag. Iris told us we hadn’t seen anything yet, this was just the beginning.
We quickly dropped our bags off, ate lunch then returned to the boat for our sunset cruise. Deftly navigating the narrow lagoon leading to the lake, Iris directed our attention to the beauty of our surroundings. Motorized boats are not allowed on the lake, leaving the animals to exist in a peaceful environment.
The surface of the lake shimmered in the glow of the late afternoon sun. The only sounds we heard were the monkeys in the canopy and the slap of the oars on the water. Small ripples appeared intermittently where caimans lurked just below the surface. We watched as a group of approximately 50 squirrel monkeys skittered along lake edge vines mere feet from our hand-paddled boats. High in the canopy on the lake-edge, their large cousins, the red howler monkeys, occasionally let out a blast.
Fun facts about squirrel monkeys:
1.A squirrel monkey’s tail is not prehensile. They cannot use it to grab things, it is simply used for balance.
2. Like humans, squirrel monkeys are diurnal, sleeping at night and active during the day.
3. Squirrel monkeys are considered to be one of the cleverest monkeys due to having a large brain compared to the size of their body.
4. They are highly vocal and have around 25-30 different types of call.
Red howler monkeys are among the loudest animals in the world, with their howls carrying up to 20 miles.
Sunset on the lake was one of the most beautiful experiences I have had. The initial red turned into smoldering oranges as the sun dropped into the horizon. As one set of animals tucked in for their rest for the night, another set slowly emerged. The iridescent glow of caiman eyes dotted the shoreline as we glided along the water.
Day 15:
My final day in Puerto Maldonado started with another early morning outing. Sandoval Lake at 6:00 AM was placid and sleepy, but not for long. The birdwatching was phenomenal with the capped and rufescent herons gracing us with their presence, however, the superstar of the morning was the hoatzin or “stinkbird”.
Fun facts about the hoatzin:
1. Hoatzins are ruminant. Like cows, hoatzins digest their food through bacterial fermentation in their digestive tract, which can produce an unpleasant smell, thus, the moniker, “stinkbird”.
2. Hoatzins are one of the few birds that are primarily herbivorous, eating leaves from lakeside vegetation and rarely eating insects.
3. Hoatzins build nests in branches that overhang water, usually 6–15 feet above the surface. They lay 2–3 eggs, which both parents incubate for 32 days.
4. Baby hoatzins have large claws on their wings that they use to climb vegetation and swim. When threatened by predators like capuchin monkeys, young hoatzins will leap out of their nests into the water below. They use their claws to climb back up to safety.
5. Hoatzins are reluctant to fly because they are poor fliers. To defend themselves, adults hiss, hoot, and yelp at predators.
6. They are social “butterflies” living in groups of 15–100 birds.
A large black caiman slid past us totally unphased by our presence.
Fun facts about black caimans:
1. The black caiman is the largest species of caiman and can grow up to 15 feet long from snout to tail.
2. Black caimans thrive in floodplain lakes, wetlands, and other inundated areas with dense vegetation.
3. Black caimans are apex predators that eat almost anything they can catch, including fish, water birds and mammals. As juveniles, they mainly eat insects and crustaceans, but as they grow larger, their diet shifts.
4. Black caimans have a strong bite and teeth designed to grab, but not chew, so they usually try to swallow their food whole after drowning or crushing it. If they can’t swallow their prey whole, they may store it so the flesh will rot and they can take bites out of it later. Gross!
Sandoval Lake was a fitting cap to a stellar holiday. Bidding the hoatzins, squirrel monkeys and herons adieu, it was off to the airport to head home. Hasta luego Perú. Has sido bueno conmigo.
Up Next: Gabon
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