Explorer´s Inn RN Monthly Report: December 2008

RNs: Yasmin Lee, Jack Brodie, Diana Koether

Notes:

• 4th December- Jack and Yasmin arrived at EI, 3 days late due to illness
• 11th December- Diana arrived at EI
• 14th-16th December- Yasmin and Jack in Puerto
• 19th-21st December- Diana in Puerto
• 26th December- Diana left
• 9th-30th December- Jack and Yasmin in Puerto for writing of monthly report

TRAILS

All trails with the exception of Old Colpita and High forest loop have been walked by Yasmin and Jack this month.  Most have been cleared with machete, whilst Capirona and Tapir have been completely marked.  All missing markers on Main trail and Quebrada have been noted and will be replaced.  Much work is required with a chainsaw, e.g. four treefalls on Capirona.  New colpita and Quebrada would greatly benefit from a bridge and Swamp has a fallen tree acting as a bridge, which would benefit from a handrail.

DISCOVERY CENTER AND SCIENTIFIC LIBRARY

• The Discovery centre is regularly swept and dusted and is visited daily by tourists and was initially deep cleaned by Diana on the 14th and 15th December.
• A new wasp nest display has been made by Yasmin and Jack.
• Yasmin and Jack conducted a full inventory of the books in the scientific library, with 13 books found missing, three of which still have duplicates remaining in the library.  The inventory report has been handed to Patricia.

RN BUNGALOW
Yasmin and Jack cleaned the bungalow work area on the 7th December. Though this was proved somewhat futile as the bungalow roof was soon removed and repair work on the bungalow started.

LANGUAGE TRAINING

• Basic English classes have been set up on a twice weekly basis.  Four have been conducted so far in the staff dining room. 
• Topics covered include: introductions, alphabet, family and describing yourself and others. 
• Classes have been attended by: Alexis, Raul, Gabriel, Fortuna, Filio, Washington and Jeckson.
• Two new guides in training have arrived at EI, Paul and Exon.  Yasmin has assessed the English of Paul and both Yasmin and Jack have offered them regular one to one help with their English.
• Yasmin and Jack helped Gustavo with the write up for his nocturnal bird project.

MEDICINAL GARDEN

RESEARCH ASISTANCE

• 9th, 10th, 12th December- Yasmin and Jack have moved a number of flower beds for Eric Cosio which will protect them when the tree above them is felled.
• Yasmin, Jack carried out a set of behavioural bioassays on ant plant interactions on the 18th and 26th December and also on the 19th with Diana.  The results have been forwarded to Eric.
• 11th  December- Yasmin and Jack assisted Filio with counting roots at plot 4 and at plot 3 on 13th with Diana and Carolina (guest).
• 12th December- Diana assisted Filio with measuring root respiration
• 20th, 21st  December- Yasmin and Jack assisted Filio with measuring trunk respiration at plots 3 and 4 and leaf litter collection at plot 4.
• 22nd December- Yasmin, Jack and Diana assisted Filio in collecting leaf litter at plot 3.
• Yasmin and Jack measured walking palms for Jorge Vivanco on December 28th.
• Insects from traps were collected and traps were refilled with alcohol on the 16th December by Diana and Patricia and on the 27th December by Yasmin, Jack and Patricia.

INTERACTION WITH TOURISTS

Yasmin and Jack and Diana were mixing with tourist regularly during main meals and they provided them information about lodge, nature and RNs work. Yasmin and Jack walked with on guest on the 7th December to Katicocha along Swamp and Katicocha trails.

OTHER / PERSONAL PROJECTS

• A large torch has been purchased using the RN fund to be used for Caiman monitoring on Cocococha.  Jack and Yasmin hope to use it in a light trap in order to study the relative abundance and diversity of nocturnal insect species.
• Yasmin and Jack have helped out in the dining room during busy times.
• Yasmin and Jack adopted Dolores, a yellow rumped cacique chick, which was evicted from its nest by a toucan.  Unfortunately a day later, Dolores went missing and is presumed to have been eaten.

 MONITORING PROJECTS

• Colpita
• The colpita was visited four times this month.

Note: 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), WBPA = White bellied Parrot (Pionites leucogaster), WEPA = White-eyed Parakeet (Aratinga leucophthalmus), YCPA = Yellow-crowned Parrot (Amazona ochrocephala)

Caimans- Cocococha

The west side of Cocococha was monitored by Yasmin, Jack and guide Alan on 9th December.

Caimans- Tambopata

• Caimans were monitored 5 times on Tambopata during december.

 

Rare species sightings

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

Date	Species seen	Location
02/12/2008	Pale winged trumpeter	Main Trail 3900m
27/12/08	Pale winged trumpeter	Quebrada  1500m
21/12/08	Pavonine Quetzal	Unknown
11/12/08	Rainbow Boa	Tapir 1700m
21/12/08	Fer de lance	Main Trail
11/12/08	Nine banded armadillo	Capirona 450m
12/12/08	Nine banded armadillo	Capirona 1100m
02/12/08	Grey brocket deer	Tapir 2800m
22/12/08	Grey brocket deer	Main Trail 3000m
06/12/08	Tamadua	Sunset Point
25/12/08	Tayra	Quebrada 850m
28/12/08	Collared Peccary	Laguna Chica

Otters

Cocococha was monitored 16 times on 12 separate days in December by guides and RNs. Otters were seen in 12 cases.

Date	Time	No. otters
02/12/2008	07.00-08.15	1
02/12/2008	07.30-09.30	0
05/12/2008	09.45-11.30	0
05/12/2008	07.30-09.30	4
08/12/2008	07.40-10.10	4
11/12/2008	07.50-09.30	0
12/12/2008	07.00-09.15	0
15/12/2008	09.00-10.30	1
16/12/2008	08.30-09.30	3
19/12/2008	09.28-12.30	4
23/12/2008	07.30-09.30	4
23/12/2008	08.00-10.00	4
25/12/2008	09.30-12.00	4
27/12/2008	09.15-12-19	4
28/12/2008	09.15-12-20	4
28/12/2008	08.30-09.30	4

 Weather data- the thermometer was moved due to building work on 18/12/08


(graphics coming soon)