Explorer´s Inn RN Monthly Report: May 2009

RNs: Yasmin Lee, Jack Brodie, George Bareham, Shelley Stevens

Volunteers: Jeremy Julien, Katerina Homolova

Notes:

• 5th-12th Jeremy here
• 8th-13th Yasmin and Jack in Puerto Maldonado & Brazil for new visa
• 14th-16th, 29th-31st Shelley in Puerto Maldonado
• 15th-17th George in Puerto Maldonado
• 16th-30th Katerina here
• 25th-29th George in Puerto for hospital visit
• 0th-1st June Yasmin and Jack in Puerto for Newsletter etc.

TRAILS & HIDES

All trails with the exception of Bamboo have been walked and cleared this month.  Large treefalls have been cleared on Tapir, Main, Swamp and Terrace.  Heliconia, Laguna Chica and New Collpita trails have had all missing markers replaced, whilst missing markers have been noted for Big Tree, La Torre and Old Collpita trails. Signs have been replaced on Ant and Big Tree trails, whilst a new sign has been made for the Katicocha-Quebrada junction. 

Three sets of steps on Sunset Point trail have been re-dug, although there is no pona available to make them more permanently stable.

DISCOVERY CENTER AND SCIENTIFIC LIBRARY

• The Discovery Centre is regularly swept and dusted and the floor has been treated with diesel.  
• The tourists regularly visit the discovery centre and have been encouraged to take out books and look at the displays.
• The new entomology book has been covered, registered and a dedication has been placed inside the cover to Helen Devereux.
• The following items are new to the Scientific Library and have all been covered and registered:

1. A Field Guide to the Birds of Peru” by Clements, J.F. & Shany, N. (2001). Ibis Publishers Company.
2. Loros, Pericos e Guacamayos Neotropicales" Mahecha et al. (2005) Conservation International.
3. "Tortugas Marinas Neortropicales" Almonacid, J.V.R. (2005) Conservation International.
4. "Ranas Arlequines" Almonacid, J.V.R. (2005) Conservation International
5. Mamiferos Acuaticos e Relacionados con el Agua" Trujillo, F. et al. (2005) Conservation International.
6. “Eco-etología del Lobo de Río” by Staib, E. (2005). Frankfurt Zoological Society.
7. “Reporte Tambopata: Resúmenes de Investigaciones en los alrededores del Explorers Inn by TreeS with species lists (1995).
8. "Rapid Assessment Program- The Tambopata - Candamo Reserved Zone of S.E. Peru:  A biological assessment" by Foster, R.B., Parker, T.A., Gentry, A.H., Emmons, L.H. et al (1994) Conservation International.
9. A Checklist of Birds of the Tambopata Reserved Zone, Explorers Inn (2007).
10. “Birders Guide to EI” by Allen, S.

• A new updated library book list has been printed and put in the Discovery Centre.
• A mammal guide that was damaged by one of the practicantes has been paid for and replaced by the practicante.
• The book ‘Peru wildlife’ which was damaged by a guide has yet to be returned by the guide and the RNs hope that the management will take measures to retrieve the book and arrange a possible fine for the damage.
• The Library rules have been printed and put on the wall of the Discovery centre.
• Jack is working on a ‘Common Lizards of Explorer’s Inn’ Display for the Discovery centre.

RN BUNGALOW

The RN bungalow is now completely full and Elizabeth is sharing her room as well.  It is regularly cleaned and is well looked after.

LANGUAGE TRAINING

English lessons have come to a bit of a halt as the staff have been busier in the evening and have not been able to attend.  RNs continue to be on hand to answer casual English Language queries and Yasmin has given one formal English lesson to Filio’s wife who was visiting.

MEDICINAL GARDEN

The Medicinal Garden has been regularly visited by guests.  It has been completely cleared and weeded and the map and guide to the medicinal garden has been updated and need printing and laminating.  12 plants have been replaced this month.  We would very much like to replace some of the signs as there are 19 missing, but at present there is no wood available.

INTERACTION WITH TOURISTS

• All the RNs have interacted with tourists regularly during main meals and they provided them information about lodge, nature, and RNs work. 
• Yasmin did airport transfer of 10 tourists on the 18th May and guided a group of 4 tourists from the 18th-19th on the PS03 tour and gave the Caiman talk on the 19th.
• Shelley, Jack, Yasmin and Katerina walked with two guests to Katicocha on the 26th of May.
• Shelley and George walked with a guest on Laguna Chica, Big Tree and La Torre trails whilst the rest of her Toucan group went to Cocococha.

RESEARCH ASISTANCE

• May 6th: Jack, Shelley, George and Jeremy collected leaves for Filio in Plot 3.
• May 7th: Yasmin, Shelley, George and Jeremy collected leaves for Filio in Plot 4.
• May 17th : Jack, Shelley, Katerina and Yasmin assisted the San Marcos University entomologists in repairing, replacing and moving their malaise traps.
• The malaise traps were emptied on the 4th by the RNs and on the 25th by Shelley and Katerina.
• May 24th: Yasmin, Shelley, Katerina and Jack worked with Filio and Javier installing new experiments and removing roots from soil at Plot 3.
• The RNs have agreed to catch wasps, for the entomologists from the San Marcos University, one day a week.

OTHER / PERSONAL PROJECTS

• On the 1st of May Yasmin, Jack, George and Shelley helped in the Kitchen and took over dinner service so that the staff could enjoy a labour day buffet together.  Elizabeth made a speech thanking the staff for their hard work and it was very nice.
• Yasmin and Jack measured and noted damage of the catamarans at Cocococha for Dustin, so that the seats could be replaced.
• 18th May: Jack, George, Shelley and Katerina visited the Cocococha mammal collpas and marked and cleared the route there to enable night monitoring.  They found evidence of hunting, including shotgun cartridges and they heard gunshots before finding a pool of blood and human footprints at the first collpa.
• Photos of hunting evidence and aguaje harvesting have been passed on to Dustin for his report.
• 21st of May: All RNs and Katerina went to visit the Cocococha mammal collpas and set up a camera trap there, where they got a picture of a red brocket deer.
• Jack made a rack for newsletters and put it up in the comedor.  Past newsletters are hanging there for guests to read and it looks very smart.
• A couple of birdwatchers donated s/. 20 for sugar to put in Alan’s hummingbird feeders, and the RNs have arranged joint responsibility for the hummingbird feeders with Alan.
• A full inventory of all RN property has been conducted by Yasmin and Jack and has been sent to Lima as requested.
• Yasmin has continued to work on her guide for RNs

MONITORING PROJECTS

Colpita

Observations from the collpita were recorded in the format required by Alan Lee for the Tambopata Macaw Project (TMP) which includes parrot species detected including the number of individuals of each species, parrot species that fed on the clay, weather, and details of disturbances such as passing boats and predators.  The table below describes species presence and feeding trends for the dates of data collection for May 2009.  The Tambopata Macaw Project has been provided with current and past data for the collpita and Alan Lee has agreed to credit EI for the data which the RNs provide.

Abbreviations: RGMA = red-and-green macaw (Ara chloroptera), SCMA = scarlet macaw (), CFMA = chestnut-fronted macaw (Ara severa), MEPA =  mealy parrot (Amazona farinosa), YCPA = yellow-crowned parrot (Amazona ochrocephala), BHPA = blue-headed parrot (Pionus menstruus), OCPA = orange-cheeked parrot (Pionopsitta barrabandi), DHPA = dusky-headed parakeet (Aratinga weddellii), WEPA = white-eyed parakeet (Aratinga leucophthalmus), BCPA =rock parakeet/black-capped parakeet (Phyrrhura rupicola), RS = southern Amazon red squirrel (Sciurus spadiceus)

Caimans-Cocococha

All RNs and Katerina monitored the whole of Cocococha this month.

Caimans-Tambopata

Rare species sightings

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

Otters

Otters were sighted on 23 occasions on 18 days by guides and tourists or RNs.  This data has been entered into the digital format required by FZS and will be sent to Jans Huayaca.

Agami herons

The Agami herons were monitored by George and Shelley on the 1st of May and by Yasmin and Jack on the 16th of May.  Only a few sub adults remain.  The data has been sent to Vikki Thompson de Salas who is writing a report on the Agamis.

Camera Traps

The RNs have continued to use the camera traps although not as frequently due to lack of batteries.  New batteries have now been obtained and so the RNs hope to use the camera traps more in June.

 Weather data

Data were collected for 27 out of 31 days in May.  The start of the month proved promising as a new thermometer/hygrometer, lent to the RNs by Eric Cosio and colleagues, was providing accurate humidity data.  This confirmed our beliefs that the humidity data for the last several months was dramatically inaccurate.  However, most unfortunately, the new thermometer/hygrometer stopped working due to the high humidity levels and has returned to Lima with Eric for hopeful repair.  We have continued to take temperature readings with the old thermometer but have abandoned humidity data collection, until reliable equipment is available.