Explorer´s Inn RN Monthly Report: June 2008

RNs: Robin McDaniel, Laura Rantala, Sara Prado, Zuzana Bartakova

Volunteers: None

Notes:

• Robin left on June 6th
• Laura in Lima and Puerto June 6th-14th and in Puerto 28th-29th
• Zuzana in Puerto June 6th-7th and 27th-28th
• Sara in Puerto June 27th-28th

TRAILS

Many of the less frequently used trails were cleared this month by the RNs. All trails apart from High Forest Loop and Capironia (which have both been cleared fairly recently) have now been checked and Quebrada, Katicocha, Heliconia, Swamp, Old Collpita, New Collpita, La Torre and Bamboo were cleared. Laura bought paint and new marker poles and has painted and placed markers on Quebrada. New trail signs were also painted and placed on New Collpita and Tapir. Heliconia and Katicocha trails still need some new markers. A big tree fall from Panchita 50 m was cleared by staff.

LIBRARY

Library was used by both guests and guides in the month of June. Sara covered and filed the books donated to us by researchers attending the PASI.

MEDICINAL GARDEN

Zuzana and Laura raked (and broomed!) the Medicinal Garden. Weeding was not necessary. The Medicinal Garden was regularly visited by guests.

DISCOVERY CENTRE

The Discovery Centre was regularly broomed and dusted by Zuzana. Laura re-arranged and nailed some of the displays. Guests visited the Centre regularly.

RESEARCH ASSISTANCE

• All RNs collected leaf litter for Filio on June 5th
• Zuzana, Sara and Laura assisted Filio with root research on June 18th and 20th
• Sara assisted Filio on June 20th, 21st and 26th
• Zuzana measured walking palms for Jorge Vivanco on June 29th
• Zuzana assisted the researcher team from Oxford University on June 5th and 8th
• Sara assisted the researcher team from Oxford University on June 5th and 7th
• Zuzana and Laura have regularly been watering plants at the PUCP Station for Eric Cosio

INTERACTION WITH TOURISTS

• Laura assisted guiding groups on June 2nd, 23rd, 24th-25th
• Zuzana helped Natalia with tourist groups on June 11th and 13th (when she was feeling sick)
• Sara helped guide groups on June 2nd, 11th-14th, 29th-30th.
• Sara gave the welcome talks when Dustin was in town or otherwise unavailable

LANGUAGE TRAINING

• Laura gave informal English lessons to Filio and Alexis and has helped Jeckson too practice English
• Zuzana has continued with English-Spanish lessons with Alexis and also helped Filio with his English
• Sara has been giving informal lessons to Jeckson and Alexis

OTHER / PERSONAL PROJECTS

• Zuzana and Laura started an experimental project for monitoring mammal activity at the mammal clay lick on New Collpita trail. One night-time monitoring has been carried out with no mammal sightings.
• Laura has continued the primate survey
• Zuzana started her project about mammals that are seen around lodge and trails. She has started to re-write all mammals seen near EI since 2006 to an excel sheet. Next she want to evaluate the most and the less seen mammals and other aspects.
• Sara has started a project on leaf-cutter ants. She has walked nearly all the trails around the lodge and noted the locations of each nest. Next she will contact the researchers from Oxford University to get some feedback on the protocol she has written out. Her plan is to identify the relative daily activity of the ants and observe what happens when obstacles are placed on their trails (i.e. time to overcome the obstacle, depending on the time of day).
• All RNs have helped out in the kitchen and dining room on busy nights
• Sara has been helping at the bar on busy nights
• Laura re-wrote the bar list with Alexis and Jeckson and it now includes a wider selection of cocktails

MONITORING PROJECTS

Caimans- Cocococha

Caimans at both sides of the Lake Cocococha were monitored on June 26th by Zuzana and Laura with the help of Daniel and Filio. Monitoring was done between 18:10 and 19:45. The weather was cool and cloudy. In total 16 caimans were seen.

Caimans- Tambopata

Collpita

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).

Otters
Cocococha
3 otter sheets were filled in by guides and RNs.

Rare species sightings

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

WEATHER DATA