Day 10 (1/10/20):
As I waited for breakfast this morning in the dining area another creature had the same idea. I had the opportunity before breakfast to watch a Capuchin monkey swing down from the trees to swipe a banana. The monkey returned for two more bananas and was amazing to watch. He nimbly glided across the trees. Branches bent with his weight but he never seemed to miss a step. I was mesmerized watching the monkey and so glad I had gotten to breakfast early to bird watch!
The lodge’s best feature is the dining room area. This area is completely open with just a roof, bathrooms, and a kitchen attached. Only a few feet away from the long table is the edge of the rain forest. At this edge are a few feeders with nectar and 3 wooden platforms hanging from the trees with bananas. The food set out by the staff encourages the wildlife to come close to the edge of the forest so that the guests may observe the wildlife up close. There is a minimum distance one must maintain but that didn’t stop hummingbirds from crossing the line and whizzing past my face. Feeding wildlife is generally not something that I would encourage. However, it was pointed out to me that the lodge is an ecotourism destination and that the impact of feeding a few animals is smaller than the educational benefits for the guests. Additionally, although the lodge feeds some wildlife it has a small environmental impact. All the electricity is generated on-site by the waterfall on the land. There is no air conditioning and high wattage appliances are not used. The land that the lodge is currently on used to be a cattle farm. This farm stripped the land. The couple that bought the land and added bird feeders and saw the potential of the land. As the land was cared for and no longer exploited, the population of native birds increased dramatically and rare bids were discovered as the old farm land transformed into a lush rain forest once again. In the afternoon we split into groups to go hiking or explore Zamora. I wanted to go on the hike but wasn’t feeling great so I decided to walk around town. There really was not much to see in Zamora but I still enjoyed going to town. My favorite things I saw included graffiti artwork, a friendly stray dog, and birds. At home I have never been interested in bird watching, but I may be developing a new hobby! While walking along the river we spotted the Speckled Chachalaca, the Crested Oropendola,vultures, a Snowy Egret, and a few others that were too difficult to identify from afar. The river that runs through Zamora was grey in color and I asked Greg if he knew why. Greg said that the water color is likely due to a buildup in sediment. Since Zamora is located very close to a hydro power dam, I agree with Greg about the color being attributed to sediment buildup. This is an example of how “cleaner” forms of energy production may still have negative impacts on the environment. Dams can create sediment deposits which disrupt the natural balance of the ecosystem. In addition to bird watching we stopped at a small convenience store. I got a small bag of lime flavored chips for only 25 cents! Even though I’ve been in the country for a few days I am still always shocked at the comparison between the cost of things in the U.S. and Ecuador. Later in the day we went for a short hike around the lodge led by Diego. Ecuador is home to a significant number of diverse species, Diego explained that one reason the Amazon is so bio diverse is because during the ice age animals fled to the warmer areas around the equator. I was surprised to learn that the soil in the Amazon is not fertile. The lush conditions are due to the weather. Unlike a typical forest, 80% of the biomass in the Amazon is above ground. The higher temperatures of the region increase decomposition and increase the tree growth rate. Comparatively, in more temperate regions the decomposition rate is very slow so 80% of the biomass is in the ground and 20% above ground. Although in temperate regions only 20% of the biomass is above ground, very large trees can grow in these areas (ex. Redwoods in California). Trees in the Amazon grow very high and straight up. Thick and long vines indicate that a tree is older. Vines will eventually reach the ground and start roots underground to begin the growth of a new tree. In the Amazon, many plants grow on top of trees and co-exist with the trees, however, some can be harmful to the host tree. While on our hike Diego showed us all a Cecropia leaf. The Cecropia leaf is eaten by many birds and animals, it is a very important plant to the Amazon ecosystem. He also noted that at night the Amazon is more active than during the day. After dinner, John and I presented on “Life At High Elevation”. Our presentation included an introduction to low pressure/oxygen at high elevation, health effects of high altitude, the impacts of high UV exposure, farming practices, water sources, volcanoes, and climate change impacts at high altitude. It was interesting to discuss the content of our presentation with Professor Chirenje and Diego. Diego commented that a concert was held at one of the volcanoes I referenced in our presentation. The concert took place over a few days and the activities and loud music significantly disrupted the wild life that lived in the region. Later in the evening while it was raining, we searched for frogs along the main roads. On the sides of the road where there is water collecting among plant life frogs can be found. We spotted numerous tadpoles, some developing legs and some without. We also saw a few small frogs. Unfortunately, we could hear many more frogs than we could actually see. While searching for frogs we came across the Bothrops atrox snake. At first glance, the snake appeared to be a frog due to its coloring and size. However, it was just very young and curled up in a small coil. Our guide Diego advised us to keep a good distance as this snake is venomous. He also warned that younger snakes do not know how to control their venom and could release a larger amount than typical when scared of a predator. This type of snake’s venom can cause humans to pass out or experience paralysis. With the hospital a fairly long ride and the roads to the city from the lodge unpaved and muddy, keeping a safe distance and missing a photo opportunity seemed like a fair trade. |