The last place I was expecting to go was Peru. Don't get me wrong; I have a serious interest in the neotropics, but during September of last year, a Peruvian Herpetological trip was the last thing from my mind.
This all changed when Bill Lamar of GreenTracks phoned and mentioned that they had spare room on a trip leaving in early October. After our conversation, it didn't take me or Managing Editor Russ Case long to decide that October in Peru sounded pretty darn good. Following some quick juggling of our schedules and some vaccinations at our doctor's offices, we were ready to head south of the border to explore a country neither one of us had visited before.
Most subscribers to REPTILES are no doubt familiar with GreenTracks from Dick Bartlett's regular "Notes From the Field" column, and the interview we ran with Bill Lamar (a co-owner of GreenTracks) last September. In the article you are now reading, I will attempt to provide a slightly different slant on GreenTracks outings. As well as sharing information about the numerous herps we encountered, I will try to provide information that may be relevant to hobbyists who have considered a herping trip of this sort, but are still unsure and have some unanswered questions.
Arrival
Russ and I arrived in Miami the day before our scheduled departure to Iquitos, Peru. We stayed in a hotel overnight and met with our group late the following afternoon at the Faucett Airlines ticket counter.
Our flight was delayed, so we had a relaxing dinner at a Miami restaurant and got to know one another. Our group consisted mainly of herpers, and the meal was spent discussing (surprise, surprise) herps - both the animals we owned and the ones we wished to see on the trip. In addition to Bill, Russ and I, the members of our group with strong herp interests were well- known herpetologist Howard Lawler, wildlife artist Carel Brest van Kempen and herpetoculturists Dean Kosch, Martin Lidy, and Joe Marek.
Back at the airport, we departed around midnight and had a brief layover in Panama City, which put us into Iquitos at about dawn (Faucett now runs nonstop flights, which cuts down the travel time). Clearing customs went smoothly, and we were soon driving through the streets of Iquitos, heading to our boat, the Delfin, which was to be our home for the next week.
Bill Lamar, our leader for this trip, spends a great deal of time in Latin America. He hand picks the Peruvian guides who accompany GreenTracks trips - and excellent guides they were. Segundo Mesia was the main guide, but he had several other people assisting him. Two others who were extremely helpful were Asunciõn Pérez ("Ashuco" for short) and Segundo's cousin Jesus Mesia. These men were our constant companions during our entire stay, from the time we left the airplane until we boarded our return flight. They proved invaluable many times, and were very knowledgeable about Peruvian wildlife. Visiting Peru with Bill and our guides gave us interesting new insights and perspectives during our visit - not only about the animals, but the country as a whole.
The Real Journey Begins
After boarding the Delfin, we were soon underway. Breakfast was a welcome sight. Eggs, potatoes, bread and papaya never tasted better. (Speaking of food, the meals on this were surprisingly good. Chicken, fish, rice, potatoes, cucumber, fresh fruit, fried plantains and delicious salsas were staple items. The bar ran a tab for each person on board, and there was a large selection of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages available. Bottled water was also available at all times.)
