Amazon Rainforest Wildlife Images
Photos of the wildlife and people of Pavacachi and Yachana, in the Amazon Rainforest, Ecuador.
Click on the thumbnails to the left to see the galleries.
The Amazon rainforest can be both a wildlife photographer's dream and nightmare. The shear wealth of biodiversity means you are likely to see something new and exciting every time you venture out into the forest, or even just staying around camp, but the canopy formed by the trees competing for the sun means very little light gets through to the forest floor and the thick vegetation can make it hard to get a clear view. Add to this the high temperatures and humidity and you get some very tricky and uncomfortable working conditions. However these challenges just add to the satisfaction when you capture the beauty and character of such wonderful wildlife on film.
I spent six months working on a conservation research project with Global Vision International in Ecuador. The first half of this time was helping the remote Pavacachi community, located on the Rio Curaray on the edge of the Yasuni National Park. The rainforest here is pristine with very little human disturbance making it a particularly good area for wildlife. The community are trying to make a living from the land in a non-destructive way through ecotourism so that they can maintain the area in its current state. GVI then moved on to Yachana (from the Quichua meaning "a place of learning") where the Ecuadorian charity Funedesin has set up a school for indigenous children and I joined them for their first expedition there. Alongside the standard curriculum subjects they also teach the children about ecotourism, sustainable farming and rainforest ecology. Yachana is on the Rio Napo, a couple of hours canoe ride from Coca, a large oil town. The site is a mix of primary and secondary rainforst, much of it was once cacao plantations which have since been deserted and are slowly retuning to their natural state. The effect of poaching and habitat destruction was clear with many species completely absent from the area but this doesn't mean there was a shortage of wildlife, just less diversity as some species are able to cope and sometimes even thrive alongside people.
GVI may have left Pavacachi but it is too good a location to be forgotten and I will soon be returning there with a new company - Earthsessions. Expeditions are due to start in march 2008. If you too would like to experience this incredible place visit the Earthsessions site.
