Notes from the Field

Crested Forest Toad

12.06.2010

Field notes, Los Amigos Conservation Concession

At a time when I thought I would be alone in the jungle, three charming young men have joined me in my journey. Ben is a friend from college who is helping me out, Gabriel is another Fulbright scholar, and Pablo is Gabriel’s German-Peruvian field assistant. This morning we headed out after breakfast for a full day in the field. I was skeptical. Animals are skittish and a group of four people walking in a dry jungle with crunchy leaves seemed like a recipe for seeing nothing. I was pleasantly surprised.

We started on a trail in the flooded forest that is full of huge trees. We found a frog and a crested forest toad in our first 15 minutes in the jungle. Four people scare away the mammals, but it is helpful to have four pairs of eyes and ears. Walking through the forest with them today brought home just how much I miss when I am on my own. In a place where everything is flighty, cryptic, or camouflaged, it is easy to walk by creatures left and right.

Check out what we found . . .

Emperor Tamarin

Cup Fungus