Explorer´s Inn RN Monthly Report: March 2008

RNs: Anne Lieflaender, Robin McDaniel, Laura Rantala

Volunteers: None

Notes:

• Robin and Anne in Puerto March 15th and 16th
• Laura arrived March 16th
• Anne in Puerto March 26th-27th for visa renewal
• Eric Cosio visited the EI on March 27th-30th. A meeting with him and the RNs was held on the 29th.
• Robin and Laura in Puerto March 31st–April 2nd for printing newsletter, laptop repair, purchasing supplies for RNs, Robin’s visa renewal, and time off.

TRAILS

Trail condition has improved after the heavy rains of January and February and all trails have now been accessible. A new trail from High Forest Loop to Katicocha was cleared and mapped on GPS with Elisban and Robin. The Lama transect connecting Old Collpita Trail with the West shore of Cocococha was re-opened and also marked and mapped together with Elisban and Anne. An old mammal transect, CT, at the edge of Old Collpita trail was also cleared and mapped by Anne and Laura.  Old Collpita, Bamboo, Quebrada were the last old tracks which are also mapped now. The only missing transect to be tracked in April is the connection between the mammal clay licks at Cocococha with High Forest Loop. Missing markers were replaced on Old Collpita, Quebrada, La Torre, Big Tree, High Forest Loop and Capirona trails. This work will be continued in the month of April as we have recently bought new poles and paint for markings. Swamp and Katicocha trails still need markers. We replaced some trail signs which were old and rottening (Quebrada, Main/Cocococha, High Forest Loop, Heliconia). All walked trails are constantly cleared while walking them; mostly with each RNs carrying a machete.

LIBRARY

A new library list has been written and printed. Books sign in/out system has been used to some extent but problems remain as books are still missing. All unprotected books (about 60) have been covered with plastic.   Supplies to build doors for the library with the aim of providing better security were recently purchased in Puerto Maldonado and construction of the new doors should commence shortly. 

LANGUAGE TRAINING

Guides and staff have received English tutoring from Robin, Anne and Laura. Laura has received help with her Spanish from guides and staff and has also taught some English to Filio.

MEDICINAL GARDEN

The medicinal garden was raked twice and weeded once this month.   Fourteen new plants have been planted and some remain to be found and planted; this will be done with Elisban’s help in the coming weeks. Anne has created a Medicinal Garden checklist to make the process of inventory and replanting easier.   Also signs were replaced for some plants in the medicinal garden and old signs repainted.  One issue facing the medicinal garden and all RNs and guides in general, however, is the fact that signs from the medicinal garden were taken in order to cover up the myriad of holes in the floor of the RN bungalow.  It should be noted that the RN bungalow is continuing to disintegrate and this condition is now affecting other parts of the lodge.

DISCOVERY CENTRE

The Discovery Centre has been regularly broomed and dusted.

CONTACT WITH TOURISTS (Guiding, RN talks, etc.)

Robin has assisted with guiding groups on March 19th and the 24th through to the 28th and the beginning of April as well.   Anne assisted guiding a group on March 25th. Laura has accompanied guides on their tours.

A caiman talk was given by Robin in March. The RNs have begun to help Dustin welcome guests by giving practical info on life at the EI as well as on the history of the lodge.

RESEARCH ASSISTANCE

• Robin performed an experiment on the Tangarana plants for Jorge Vivanco – monitoring took place from March 1st to 3rd.
• Robin collected Tocara leaves to be sent to Lima on behalf of Monica Brush on March 5th.
• Robin and Anne have collected leaf litter for Filio on March 8th.
• Robin and Anne marked Soil collection plots at High Forest Trail with GPS for Tiffany.
• Robin, Anne and Laura assisted Filio with root measurements on March 17th and 19th.
• Laura assisted Filio on trunk carbon respiration and height measurements as well as taking photographs on March 24th, 25th and 26th. Robin assisted Filio with carbon respiration measurements and taking photographs on March 27th.
• Anne and Laura briefly assisted Eric Cosio on his ant experiment on March 29th.
• Anne and Laura measured walking palms for Jorge Vivanco on March 28th and checked the shadings various times before that.  

NEWSLETTER

Newsletter for January-February was finally printed in Puerto Maldonado and distributed into the rooms. Writing of March-April newsletter has begun. It will include articles on parrot monitoring at Explorer’s Inn Collpita, Filio’s research project on the role of rainforest trees as carbon sinks, puma sighting and biology of the puma, the RN program and sustain ‘eco’tourism.

OTHER/ PERSONAL PROJECTS

Robin is currently working on a panel and RN talk that will discuss the current environmental and social threats to the Madre de Dios.  Such threats include oil exploration and extraction in general and more specifically in reserved areas for people living in voluntary isolation, and also the Interoceanic Highway.  A display panel with maps will be made and a talk will be written that could be given by Robin and/or other RNs.  Also, Robin would like to make a display panel that discusses current research taking place at the lodge.  However, no researchers have responded to Robin’s plea for a description of their research or their abstracts. 

Anne has created a Trail Marker and a Medicinal Garden checklist to make work more efficient. The monitoring sheet for the Caiman Search at Cocococha has been improved on the computer with UTM coordinates and a vegetation map around the lake for easier and more correct orientation during the search. She has also started a new “Animal Sightings – Logbook for Visitors” to collect more sightings data.

Miscellaneous

As one of the three remaining Catamarans on Cocococha Lake got stolen together with the paddles on the 7th we painted a big “EI” sign on each side of the catamaran and went out on the lake to search for the missing boat.  We could not find it. The third catamaran was brought back but was stolen again after some more days and has not been returned since then. This time they took away one boat with the EI sign on it.

The GPS track data will be sent to Sandro and Giulia because they are going to make a new trail map for the lodge.

MONITORING PROJECTS

Caimans-Cocococha

Unfortunately, the caimans at Cocococha were not monitored in the month of March. This was due to lack of available persons to accompany the RNs on the search and unfavourable weather conditions (thunderstorm).

Caimans-Tambopata

Caimans in the river Tambopata have been monitored regularly. The higher the river level the fewer caimans seemed to be found.

Otters-Cocococha
Three otter sighting sheets were filled out by guides and RNs. On March 2nd, no otters were seen. On March 4th, 6 otters were seen between 10:50 and 11:30. On March 23rd 5 otters were seen between 08:15 and 09:00 AM.

Otters-Katicocha

Four otters were seen on March 29th.

Collpita

Collpita monitoring was done 6 times in March.

INDEX:
BHPA=Blue-headed Parrot (Pionus menstruus), CFMA=Chestnut-fronted Macaw (Ara severa), DHPA=Dusky-headed Parakeet (Aratinga weddellii), MEPA=Mealy Parrot (Amazona farinosa), OCPA=Orange-cheeked Parrot (Pionopsitta barrabandi), RGMA=Red-and-green Macaw (Ara chloroptera), WEPA=White-eyed Parakeet (Aratinga leucophthalmus), and YCPA=Yellow-crowned Parrot (Amazona ochrocephala).

Rare species sightings

The following rare species were seen in the month of March:

WEATHER DATA

March was a fairly dry month with only 5 days of heavy rainfall (more than 20 mm) during the first 2 weeks, after which daily rainfall decreased. There were 11 days of little or no rain (0-1 mm) mainly during the last 2 weeks of March. Maximum temperature of 35.7 degrees Celsius was reached on March 22nd, the lowest temperature being 21.7 degrees Celsius on March 16th.