GreenTracks has returned to the Tapiche River, an affluent of the Rio Ucayali with headwaters near the Peruvian border with Brazil. After a hiatus of ten years, we're back running the Tapiche when water levels allow a boat to navigate there. Although the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve deservedly has gained fame for its spectacular fauna, the Tapiche also boasts it's share of wildlife. At times the density of wading birds simply boggles the mind, and what's more, the river is home to the critically endangered Red Uakari Monkey (Cacajao rubicunda).
We try not to ascend the river too far as there are groups of indigenous persons living there who prefer not to have contact with the outside world. But the middle and lower stretches of this beautiful river are well worth the time and trouble it takes to get there, and the town of Requena, located at the mouth of the river where it meets the Ucayali, has a market that teems with forest products, colorful tropical fishes, and lively vendors.More information on the Rio TapicheIT HAPPENED ON A RECENT TRIP - The Macaw Tree
Murphy's Law must have started somewhere in the Amazon, because whatever can go wrong usually does. Seeing wildlife requires some effort, but also a lot of luck, and even though GreenTracks Travelers are usually aware of this and gracious about it, we still feel the pressure to produce. And so it was that on a recent trip we hosted a group whose primary interest was not just in seeing birds but in seeing macaws. We explained that we would eventually reach an area that had often been productive but that it was still several days" journey by boat. Each day they asked about macaws and, despite having seen a small group fly over the boat, their interest remained strong and our tour leader and guides felt the pressure. Naturally it rained every day and the fact that macaw colors are especially difficult to discern on cloudy days made us worry even more.Continued...GREEN IN THE NEWS
While the financial meltdown that has the entire world's attention continues to unfold, it is worth noting that a recent report on the economic impact of rainforest loss places a value several times larger than that caused by Wall Street's crash. Rainforests house over 50% of the world's flora and fauna, and there is much evidence they serve as the lungs of the planet as well. Root causes of destruction stem from human over population and the resultant logging.
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