The Pacaya Samiria National Reserve has be called the "mirrored forest" because of the reflective nature of its dark-stained waters.
It is one of the largest protected areas in Peru, spanning over 20,000 square kilometers of tropical rainforest. The reserve is a truly exceptional wilderness area and a unique flooded forest with one of the greatest diversity of animals and plants found anywhere on the planet. Situated deep in the rainforests of the western Amazon basin, the reserve teems with aquatic and terrestrial wildlife. It is at the point where the Amazon River begins its long journey to the Atlantic Ocean. The two major rivers that bound the reserve are the Ucayali and Marañón, which join to form the Amazon proper right where the reserve begins. The huge floodplains of these majestic rivers have produced the low-lying flooded forests of the reserve.
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No matter how remote the spot may be, there are still animals that are extremely difficult to encounter in the wild. They may be rare, secretive, or strictly nocturnal. Or it could be that their habitat is one that makes them hard to observe. One example of this is the Harpy Eagle, easily the world's most powerful bird of prey and so difficult to find that it holds a nearly mythical place in the world of wildlife enthusiasts.
Bill Lamar of GreenTracks has 35 years' experience in the rainforests of Latin America. During that time he has managed to see 11 Jaguars but only three Harpy Eagles. So, when travelers ask whether they might see a Harpy, our answer is always the same: don't count on it!
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"To discover and share knowledge about plants and their environment, in order to preserve and enrich life." - Missouri Botanical Garden mission.
Founded in 1859, the Missouri Botanical Garden is the United States' oldest botanical garden in continuous operation and a National Historic Landmark. Their work in conserving the world's tropical wilderness areas and in enlightening everyone about the earth's botanical diversity is simply unparalleled.
The Garden is a center for botanical research and science education, as well as an oasis in the city of St. Louis. The Garden offers 79 acres of beautiful horticultural display, including a 14-acre Japanese strolling garden, Henry Shaw's original 1850 estate home, and one of the world's largest collections of rare and endangered orchids.
The year 2009 marks the Garden's sesquicentennial anniversary. For 150 years, the Garden has been an oasis in the city, a place of beauty and family fun-and also a center for education, science, and conservation. Visit them in St. Louis, or go see their excellent and informative website: www.mobot.org