We are right in the middle of our expedition in the Upper Amazon, and we have had many amazing wildlife sightings so far. Today was no exception. Our destination was Supay Creek with a pre-breakfast skiff ride to explore this intricate ecosystem. We were pleasantly surprised by an unusually higher number of sightings of the pygmy marmoset, the smallest primate inhabiting this flooded forest. We overheard their calls in many places, but the “speedy” primate was elusive until a couple decided to just sit and contemplate our approaching skiffs! What a delightful moment we had when they started to ignore us and behave as if we weren’t there. Occasionally, they checked on us, but they quickly continued with their mutual preening and caring for each other. In the blink of an eye, they disappeared into the dense vegetation, leaving us all with great pictures!
We continued looking and searching for wildlife. We took photographs as we took in all the aspects of this beautiful place.
Once on board, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast while we repositioned the ship to our next destination, Belluda Creek. We were all rewarded with sightings of one of the rarest monkeys found in this forest, the saki monkey. This furry monkey sat on the upper branch of a tree and kept looking down at us. As it observed us, it was clear that it was just as curious about us as we were about it. Satisfied with our photographs, we moved on and continued to be amazed by the immense diversity of this beautiful forest.
Our afternoon was just as great. We traveled farther up the Ucayali River until we reached El Dorado River. This location was a perfect spot to meet some of the local people, who eagerly approached us and showed us their daily catches. Piranhas and catfish are part of their daily diet, and the river provides lots of those!
Today’s outing finished with a special “night caiman hunting.” We had great encounters with caimans and other night-associated species that left us content and anxious for tomorrow’s exploration!
