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PERU - Page II March 2007 |
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Along the way, we also met up with the skiff (speedboat), which headed downriver to deliver supplies for the large group of students already stationed at Madre Selva. I was amazed at how well coordinated the entire expedition was. For being so far from civilization, we were never left in need of anything. |
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All our meals were delicious & often works of art! Raul was our cook & he took great pride in presenting flavorful and beautiful meals. We had lots of rice & beans, fruits, & freshly squeezed juice at every meal. We ate BBQ’d peccary, agouti (large rodent), wild pig, caiman, and of course good ole’ chicken, pork & beef. But best of all was the fish! We all agreed that the catfish was the best ever! Oh, we were also treated to fried palm grubs one evening. I am just glad I did not see them alive in the bucket or I might have lost my nerve. They weren’t nearly as gross as I expected, but then again, anything cooked in garlic & butter can’t be too bad! |
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Our next stop - the Sabalillo Forest Reserve on the Apayacu River. We had several days here spent hiking the trails. |
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One night, Kelly spotted a snake in the thatched roof of one of the buildings. After checking the field guide to ensure it was not a venomous species, he called for reinforcements to assist in capturing it. |
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The boat was home while we were at Sabalillo. The sounds of the forest were amazing - well, once the boat’s generator was turned off each evening! |
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The covered buildings served as the perfect photography studio. Dick & I spent much of our time getting mug shots of all our finds!
Let the critter parade begin…
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After only one broken rafter, Marty managed to capture this fine specimen... |
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Common liana snake (Siphlophus cervinus) |
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Much of the searching took place at night, just under the boardwalk, in the backwater areas.
Dick & Kelly on the hunt. |
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Bassler’s sheep frog (Chiasmocleis bassleri) |
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Map treefrog (Hyla geographica) |
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Common polkadot treefrog (Hyla punctata) (day color)
One of my favorites!! At night, his spots turn to mostly red. |
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Crested forest toad (Bufo margaritifer)
It is hard to photograph, but he’s a spiky little dude |
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Leptodactylus pentadactylus (smoky jungle frog)
These guys get huge, like our bullfrogs. |
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Reticulated creek lizard (Arthrosaura reticulate) |
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Flat-headed bromeliad treefrog (Osteocephalus planiceps) |
