| CAPTAIN'S BLOG TAMSHIYACU TAHUAYO RESERVE |
| First we heard the distinctive loud sound of the Dusky Ti-ti monkeys. Then, there they were, about the size of beer cans, hopping around on the branches like a tree full of second graders calling their greeting, staring back at us out of their white face masks. One passenger from California wanted to see big trees. We saw some giant tops sticking up well above the canopy of the forest, and slowed down looking for a good place to tie off. |
| Dawn on the Amazon, 2005. All rights reserved. |
| Tamshiyacu Tahuayo (Tom-she-yah-coo Tah-hua-yo) Community Reserve is 800,000 acres, wisely set aside by the community government to preserve for as long as they are able. Plans are nearing completion to add one million more acres of wilderness all the way to the Yavari River at the border of Brazil and Peru. The reserve is located between the Tamshiyaco and Tahuayo Rivers. It is ¼ of the distance, and half the time and money required to visit Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. |
| Visitors to this reserve find the most diverse collection of protected primates in the wild. Eleven species of monkeys and marmosets, as well as over 500 species of birds thrive within the boundaries of the park. The reserve was established to protect the rare Red Uakari monkey, with a bright red face, like this one that I was fortunate to get a photo of before it swung, and jumped out of sight. |
| When we picked up our group of visitors at our dock, to ferry them to Dawn on the Amazon III, they could tell from a block away that she was not like the other river boats. Floating on the river in the sunshine, she gleamed more like a fine piece of polished furniture built of tropical hardwoods by master craftsmen, than a riverboat designed to navigate the |
| Amazon River and its small tributaries. Upon boarding their new home away from home, they discovered the unique wood carvings with vegetable ivory inlays, the full range of communication devices, including satellite telephones for special uses, and comfortable accommodations, a rarity on the river, one of the passengers declared, “This boat is beyond reckoning.” |
| The first sign of abundant wildlife in the reserve is trees filled with parrots and toucans. Kingfishers and fly catchers zoom down just off the bow. Hawks and eagles glide along off the stern. For animal enthusiasts is an occasional look at something most people never see outside a zoo or a photo on a website. |
| What we saw next was a first for me. A mother three toed sloth was low on a tree apparently getting a drink. How did we know it was a mother? Its tiny new born sloth was slung on the mother’s front, nursing. As our boat edged closer it slowly climbed up the Cetico tree to where its mate was waiting. We took several photos but got no good ones of the baby sloth. |
| Hiking back into the rain forest, our passengers were treated to trees as big around, but not as tall, as the California Redwoods. Some were room-sized at the base with liana vines hanging to the ground. We found dozens of different kinds of palm trees, tree ferns, orchids, bromeliads, and other epiphytes. Even after hundreds of trips up and |
| Want to get up close and personal with the creatures that live in the rain forest? Only have three or four days to be face to face with wildlife? Then take a trip with Dawn on the Amazon, up the Amazon River from Iquitos to visit the Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Community Reserve, a chunk of untouched jungle only five hours travel from our home port. |
| down the river since I left Indiana to live in the jungle, I am still surprised at the enormous diversity of the Amazon rainforest. Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve Follow this link to our photo album to see more pictures of our cruises to Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve. |
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| FACE TO FACE WITH WILDLIFE IN A PERUVIAN RAINFOREST |
| Follow this link to view posts from our new Captain's Blog. |