Today, we explored the amazon during early hours. We went on a pre-breakfast ride along the riverbanks in search of those early riser birds and mammals that appear at first light here in the Amazon.
As soon as we left our mother ship, and immersed ourselves in the Amazonian wilderness, we were lucky to spot a couple of three toe sloths, both eating high up in the canopy. The a huge surprised came for us, it was a one of those lucky sightings, when a family of river otters (giant otters) were swimmer along the shallow waters for a couple minutes and then got out of the water and took off into the forest.
Amazon king fishers (both male & female) were fishing and gliding along the death trees. The river level of low, in some of the shallow areas we could see yellow billed terns feasting on small fish, as well as striated herons looking for morning snacks.
After lunch, we visited a local Shaman, a local woman who has been trained in the spiritual art of using the plants and natural jewels of the forest to cure and illnesses only by using herbs, portions, and curator healing skills.
During the afternoon, we hiked within the dry forest (terra firma), where tree buttresses never get flooded when the river changes its level. Squirrels, poison dart frogs, leaf cutter ants, toads and several kinds of strangler figs where identified climbing up the thick canopy.
