Our final full day was spent exploring two beautiful streams off of the Ucayali River. The diversity of life here really astounds, and today we saw many new species of plants, birds, and even mammals. Early morning and afternoon skiff rides took advantage of the best light, temperature, and activity. And, we even crammed a little handicraft shopping into our day.
For the morning, we visited the Zapote River, which winds deep into a large island. Here, monkeys were abundant. Before breakfast, a large group of squirrel monkeys put on an acrobatic show, repeatedly leaping from tree to tree. Later, a couple of groups of monk saki monkeys were observed up close. Sometimes called “flying monkeys,” they lived up to their name by jumping between trees.
The villagers here are very friendly, and we enjoyed interacting with them. Making their living by mostly fishing, we got to see many of the different fish they catch as they prepared them to sell. Even young boys got into the action, heading out in dugouts to find some breakfast. We also enjoyed visiting their “market” and purchasing some of the excellent handicrafts they make.
The day continued sunny and bright, and late in the afternoon we went up another beautiful stream called Supay. Here we found a new monkey for the trip, the dusky titi. These were quickly usurped by a tree with three sloths in it. A single mother was lazy in the top, but another mother was hanging upside down with a baby on her belly. She then changed into a hammock position, allowing her young one to feed on Cercropia fruits. What a show!
As we returned to the Delfin II, distant thunderheads were building. The heat of the day helped create some massive clouds. As we enjoyed a final dinner fiesta and danced to the music of the “teenagers band,” the skies opened with a lightning storm deluge. An amazing ending to a fantastic day.
