UJ #16 - Amazon Cruises

THE STAR OF THE AMAZON
Without television and Internet, these kids give us a
preview of what is to come: total disconnect from our
busy, oversaturated worlds, and an immersion into
nature in a way that we city folk have long forgotten.
More than 400 species of birds
inhabit the Pacaya Samiria Reserve.
Christian Declercq
Jorge and Robinson are our naturalist guides, and their
expertise is evident. “Look there, a sloth,” says Jorge. The
boat stops and slowly approaches the shore so that we
can get a better look. “There. Do you see it?” he asks.
It takes us a few minutes to actually locate the animal.
Both guides have such well-trained sight and hearing
that they are able to recognize a species by sound, and
can spot the subtlest differentiations between similar
creatures.
Christian Declercq
Camouflaged
among the
branches, iguanas
and lizards
observe tourists
almost motionless.
THE AMAZON RIVER POURS
TO THE SEA 170 THOUSAND
CUBIC METERS OF WATER
BY SECOND. THIS AMOUNT
INCREASES DURING THE
RAINY SEASON, BETWEEN
THE MONTHS OF MARCH
AND MAY.
Christian Declercq
Our search for animal life takes us into Pacaya Samiria.
Navigating its rivers and tributaries feels like being in a
movie, with giant trees that play with the shining sun and
create spectacles of light on the water’s surface. During
the wet - or rainy - season, the river’s water-level increases
so much that it floods the surrounding forest and allows
boats to float amongst tree-tops, giving visitors the feeling
that they are entering an enchanted forest as guides chop
through overgrown vines with machetes.
The sloth is
one of the
most popular
species in the
Amazon.
As night falls, everything changes. The early-morning
macaws, howling monkeys, toucans, iguanas, and
sparrows, are replaced by bats and caimans. The lack
of light intensifies the sounds as birds and toads sing
in unison, creating an atmosphere that is both eerie
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