Facts about the Rainforest

1.     Rainforests cover 6% of the earth’s surface but contain more than half of its plant and animal species. 

 

2.     Rainforests can be defined as a dense forest with an annual rainfall of 406 cm (160 inches).  They are often but not always located in tropical regions. 

 

3.     The Amazon is the largest rainforest in the world.  It covers roughly 40% of the South American continent and is in part of eight countries including Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.

 

4.     The Amazon rainforest is the ancestral home to around one million indigenous people.  These people can be divided into around 400 tribes, some of whom still have little or no contact with outside people or influence. 

 

5.     Half of our medications from from the plant kingdom.  The U.S. National Cancer Institute has identified 3000 plants that are active against cancer cells.  70% of these plants are found in the rainforest.  Twenty-five percent of the active ingredients in today’s cancer-fighting drugs come from organisms found only in the rainforest. 

 

6.     The Ayahuasca, or 'rope of the spirits' in Quechua, is the master plant of the Amazonian rainforest. For many thousands of years, shamans have used its properties to cure the body and the soul and to connect with gods and nature.

 

7.     A hot and humid climate plays a large role in the species biodiversity found in rainforests.  With over 600 species of birds, 32 parrot species (that’s 10% of the world’s total), 200 mammal species, 1200 butterfly species and 10,000 species of vascular plants Tambopata, Peru is often referred to as the “Capital of Biodiversity.”

 

8.     Rainforests are home to thousands of endangered mammal species such as the Harpy Eagle (the world’s second largest), the Jaguar, and the Giant Otter.

 

9.     The largest threat to rainforests is deforestation.  Trees are cut down for cattle pastures, slash and burn farming and human settlement.  While rainforests used to cover 14% of the planet, they now only cover 6%.

 

10.  One of the best ways to protect the land from deforestation is by giving value to the forest while it is still standing through methods such as ecotourism.  Land enjoyed by travelers from around the world while allowing species to thrive.

 

The Giant Otter in Tambopata - Facts about Endangered Mammals in Peru

The Giant Otter

A few facts about one of the most endangered mammals in Peru. 

 

 

●      This playful mammal grows to be 1.5 to 2 meters long (5 to 6.5 feet) and weighs around 25 to 32 kilograms (55 to 70 pounds), making it the largest in the otter family.  They exist in only in isolated tropical regions of South America in bodies of water with slow current such as rivers, creeks and lakes. 

 

●      The Giant Otter has no serious predators but competes with other species (such as caiman) for food.  They feed mostly on large fish but will also consume other vertebrates such as snakes and small caiman.  An adult giant otter eats approximately 4kg (almost 9 lbs) of fish per day!!!

 

●      This mammal has extremely sensitive whiskers which they use to detect changes in water pressure and currents, helping them to be quite effective in hunting prey.

 

●      Giant otters live in strongly cohesive family groups of 4 to 9 individuals.  When an adult gives birth to pups the family is highly protective of them, defending them against predators such as the Black Caiman or Jaguar. 

 

●      The species first became threatened in the 1960’s when an enormous number were hunted for their water-repelling hides. From 1946 to 1973 more than 24,000 skins were exported from the Peruvian Amazon and 20,000 from the Brazilian Amazon, as it was legal during that time.  Afterwards, very few families remained.  The department of Madre de Dios, Peru only harbors 150 individuals. 

 

●      The main risk to the species these days is habitat loss due to logging and farming.  Despite efforts to protect them, their numbers are dropping each year.  Ecotourism is an important part of the protection of this beautiful mammal as it funds research, raises awareness of the species and protects their precious habitats. 

 

Upon your next visit to Tambopata, you may be lucky enough to see these spectacular creatures.

 

Five Reasons to take part in a Tambopata, Peru Homestay

1. Feel right at home as part of a Peruvian family.  A Tambopata homestay is a unique experience in which guests choose to live with a family native to the area.  Visitors eat the same food the family eats and participate in their daily routines, enabling them to truly experience the culture of this beautiful part of the world.  Friendly hosts take their guests in as one of their own making them feel a part of the family from the moment they arrive.  They are proud of their culture and enthusiastic about sharing it with travelers.

2. Take a break from the tourist circuit.  Most visitors to Puerto Maldonado arrive at the airport and travel directly to an ecolodge where they are surrounded by other travelers.  A Tambopata homestay gives participants a more intimate view of life in the jungle.  Upon arrival at the airport, a family member picks up their guest and personally brings them to their home.  They will be surrounded by people who have lived their entire lives in Madre de Dios.

3. Try local food.  Have you ever heard of Copuazu?  Some describe this fruit as sweet and banana-like at first but with a delightfully tart aftertaste.  What about Guanabana?  In addition to its unique flavor, the fruit is thought to have health benefits, including the ability to help with insomnia and control the growth of cancer cells.  Due to its rich soil and tropical climate, Tambopata is host to a variety of exotic produce which local families use daily in their food preparation.

The Durand family is comprised of 12 siblings who have lived in Madre de Dios their entire lives.  They are experts in agriculture and have a large farm on their property.  Travelers who stay at Saona with the Durands learn all about cultivation of local crops and are given the opportunity to try fruits that are in season.

4. Support the local community.  Many families in Tambopata are continuing to develop their properties to give visitors the best possible experience.  Armando Mishajas, a descendant of the Ese’eja tribe, is a guide for a local ecotourism company.  His family has been working for years to develop their property, Majosehue, to host international travelers.  Due to his experience guiding tourists at the ecolodge, he has an understanding of what is required to host people from other countries, however the family does not have the means to build an entire lodge.

Armando explains that rather than take out large bank loans, they build up their property gradually.  Each time they earn money, they use it to build something new, or improve on the facilities that they already have.  Guests who come to stay with the Mishajas, leave feeling fulfilled, knowing that their money helped to make a difference and will go back into the family’s efforts.

5. Learn about the Amazon from the people who know it best.  Oscar Mishajas has lived his entire life in the Peruvian Amazon, and he has spent the last 10 years working as a guide for Rainforest Expeditions, one of the most well-known ecotourism companies in the area. All of this contributes to making him the expert that he is in birding.  He can identify a species by hearing nothing more than a flap of a wing. 

Oscar is soft spoken but his deep understanding and respect for the wildlife and diversity of Tambopata shines through as one explores the forest with him.  He walks quietly with an strong awareness of his surroundings and upon the slightest movement of a leaf, he quickly points into the canopy and whispers “black spider monkeys.”  He watches them with admiration in his eyes and proceeds to tell his guests about Tambopata’s largest monkey, sharing Ese’eja myths and legends about these majestic primates.

5 REASONS TO VISIT TAMBOPATA

The Capital of Biodiversity: With 600 species of birds, 200 species of mammals,1200 species of butterflies, and more than 10,000 species of vascular plants Tambopata is considered one of the most bio diverse places on earth. What makes it so diverse?

• A variety of habitats: Tambopata has a wealth of different plant habitats which are created by different soils, hills, winds, river erosion, etc. With the various plant habitats come different animals that choose to live in the ones that suit them best.
  
• The Ice Age: During the ice age (about 13,000 to 23,000 years ago) many of the earth's forests dried up, becoming deserts and only forests with ideal conditions, such as those found in Tambopata, remained. The forests were separated with savannas in between them. During this time (also known as the Pleistocene period), species in each of these fragmented areas evolved and developed differently. When things started warming up again, forest grew back reconnecting the segmented forests. Tambopata was one of the fragmented "refugees" and has more biodiversity than most rainforests.

A Short Trip from Cusco: Puerto Maldonado is only 30 minutes from Cusco. Both StarPeru and LAN offer daily commercial flights. Make sure to get a window seat. In this short flight you can watch the terrain change from snow-capped peaks to dense green jungle with rivers winding through.

With the recent completion of the Interoceanic Highway connecting Brazil and Peru, Puerto Maldonado is also accessible from Cusco by bus. The scenic bus ride takes you from the central Andes in Cusco to the lush green jungle in about eight hours.

The Green Carpet: Tambopata is host to more than 10,000 species of vascular plants. In all of Peru, the Madre de Dios region has the lowest population with less than 100,000 people in an area 1.6 times the size of Costa Rica and the lowest population density with less than 2 people per square kilometer. Despite risk of deforestation and development that has faced the region in recent years, the forest has continued to thrive. This is due in part to the low population and also to over 60% of the area being designated protected areas.

The River: Locals say that once you have drunk the water of the Tambopata, you will always desire to come back. The Tambopata River flows 402 km from the eastern slope of the Andes in Puno north to Puerto Puerto Maldonado, where it connects with the Madre de Dios river, which continues into Bolivia and Brazil further downriver. The Tambopata National Reserve and the Bahuaja-Sonene National Park, accounting in total for more than 1.3 million hectares, were created to protect this important resource which is home to around 200 species of fish. Each year the river rises during the rainy season and falls during the dry season representing the rhythmic balance of nature.

The People: The people of Tambopata have a very special connection to the rainforest. For many of them, the jungle is their home and all they have ever known. Whether they are hunters, fishermen, timber extractors, miners, Brazil nut collectors, farmers, or work in the ecotourism industry, most make their livelihoods in some way or another from the land.

With the development of tourism to the area, locals have shown interest in hosting visitors in their homes. Some are just beginning to receive international guests. They are eager to share their traditions and way of life with others, as well as their knowledge on the forest. These families come from a diverse background with varying experiences and backgrounds to share. But they all have one thing in common which is their reliance on and understanding of the land in Tambopata.