From Atalaya to Cocha Cashu

By Justin Putz (UW-Bothell student)
29 August, 2014

Today was the beginning of our 2-day boat ride from the village of Atalaya to Cocha Cashu Biological Research Station. We traveled with three boats that were essentially glorified canoes that held about 14 people with gear and were approximately 30’L x 5’W. We spent nine hours cruising up the Upper Madre de Dios River to get to the ranger station we camped at for the night called Limonal. The best part of this trip was being able to see the beautiful diversity of wildlife; I especially liked spotting and identifying the birds. Some highlights of the birds we saw were macaws (Scarlet, Red & green), toucans, hawks (Roadside, Great-black), Large-billed terns, Black Skimmers, herons, parrots, cormorants, and we even saw a Black Hawk-eagle with a snake in its talons.

A Black Hawk-eagle (Spizaetus tyrannus) soaring above the Madre de Dios river with a snake trapped in its talons. © Justin Putz, JPPhotography

Another interesting observation was the succession of the forest caused by the erosion and deposits of sediments along the river. You can easily identify the pioneer species such as cecropia that grow on the bank with such regularity they look planted. These erosions and deposits also cause the river to meander, often rerouting the course of the river over many years and even creating oxbow lakes from time to time. 

A large ceiba (Ceiba sp.) tree surrounded by smaller trees and plants including palms, ferns, and a vast array of other vegetation. A brief sample of the vast diversity of flora along the Madre de Dios river. © Justin Putz, JPPhotography

This meandering occurs because the water moves faster around the outside of the curves causing the erosion of this land and the water moves slower around the inside of the curves causing sediments to be deposited. This brings some questions to mind as we have seen many small villages along the riverbanks. What happens to these villages as the river moves? How do they adapt to the changing environment? Do they uproot and move their village?

The Madre de Dios River is very brown and murky due to the sediments from erosion that fall into this fast moving river. As we got closer and closer to the mouth of the Manu River the water started to become less brown and murky. When we finally reached the split between the two rivers you could easily appreciate the mixing of the two rivers; the Manu being relatively clear and greenish while the Madre de Dios maintained a more brown and murky appearance. I wonder what causes the vast difference between the water in the two rivers. The Manu pours into the Madre de Dios, which explains how the Manu doesn’t get tainted by the murky waters of the Dios de Madre. The banks along the Manu seem to have more sand and rocks as compared to the Madre de Dios so perhaps the root cause in the coloration lies with the content that’s being eroded into each respective river.

A pet spider monkey (Ateles chamek) showing off for us at the village of Boca Manu. © Justin Putz, JPPhotography

We stopped at a nearby village called Boca Manu to visit the local doctor and get health clearance to travel down the Manu River. This stop became a point of contention and frustration for many of the group members because it took over two hours while we were expecting a short 15-20 minute stop. With the visit of researchers and students, there is the possibility that they could bring any illness (such as a common cold) and pass that to the mostly isolated native villages, which could be devastating. Thus, each of us needed to be checked by a doctor for any potential infections disease and our vaccination records. A few of us took advantage of this layover; some explored the area, a couple joined in a local soccer match, and others observed the comings and goings of the locals. 

I saw two children playing on the river; they built a little boat out of Styrofoam with a sail of tissue and would blow on the tissue to move the boat across the water.Later they grabbed driftwood and used it as kickboards as they raced swimming around the river. There was another child running by and I had a brief conversation in Spanish with him asking him about himself, his name was Johnny and was 8 years old. I asked if he liked living there and he said, “Yes, but I don’t know anything else.” This really hit home with me. Life here is so simple and uncomplicated, they barely have electricity and access to services we take for granted like health care. They appear content but are they happy? Do they wish there was more to their life and potential? Part of me wishes life could be that simple for me and that I wouldn’t have to worry about the day-to-day goings on that we are used to in American life.

We got underway again while watching a gorgeous sunset over the river and arrived at the ranger station in Limonal where we spent the night. We enjoyed a much-welcomed homemade sit-down
spaghetti dinner before heading to bed for an early morning wake up at 4:30. This was our first night sleeping in the tropical rainforest under the stars. It’s incredible to be this far away from civilization and the associated light and sound pollution. It allows for a unique connection with nature and the sounds and sights that come along with it. 

Justin Putz is a senior at the University of Washington studying biology and pursuing a career in medicine. In his free time, Justin enjoys scuba diving and hiking in the Pacific Northwest.