Amazon Private Reserve, Nauta Canio & Pahuachiro Trail
There is a residual fear, a slight chill running through my spine. I am in the middle of the rain forest, but at night. I do not belong here, I, diurnal mammal (and very urban creature) feel like an alien walking the Pahuachiro trail in the dark. But this apprehension is good; it is forcing my senses to focus on shapes, sound, scents I would have never noticed in the light.
A green glow comes from a tree not too far away; it is a spider. Movement to my left, a katydid, usually so still in the daytime, now happily devouring leaves, as its avian predators are not around, are not awake. Orange is reflected from the eyes of a butterfly.
The colors we see come from the Tapetum; a tinted mirror behind the retina that many nocturnal animals have and that allows them to use the little light there is, twice. Light hits the visual sensors in the retina, it is reflected by this unique layer, to go through the retina once more. If we hold the flashlights at our line of vision, we can see the eye shine and identify the creature that looks at us, silently.
Suddenly our naturalist Luis calls everybody. There is yellow coming from a tall tree, there is movement. It is a kinkajou (Potos flavus), a creature in the raccoon family with long prehensile tail.
The forest smells like childhood to me, it’s the odor of a fallen cacao. This walk is my big highlight!
But the activities of our Tuesday in Pacaya-Samiria Reserve were many. Early in the morning we went for a canopy walk, at Amazon Private Reserve. It was a good hike in Terra Firme; this piece of land is off the flood plain therefore with older trees and higher biodiversity.
In the afternoon we could choose to either kayak or skiff ride, and there were Brown-throated Three-toed sloths for everybody, Russet-Backed Oropendolas, Black-collared Hawks. From my kayak I spotted a brilliant new species for my list, the Masked-Crimson Tanager.
But it is the night hike that sticks in my mind. I, primate, with fear and wonder, had the privilege of sharing the forest with the creatures of the dark.
